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Rev. Jesse Jackson’s family honors his legacy, urges respect ahead of funeral plans
Just a day after saying their goodbyes, Rev. Jesse Jackson’s family gathered in South Shore. They talked about their dad, what he stood for, what he fought for, and what he meant to the world.
CHICAGO - Just a day after saying their goodbyes, Rev. Jesse Jackson’s family gathered in South Shore.
What we know:
They talked about their dad, what he stood for, what he fought for, and what he meant to the world.
"His soul is freed to be with our mighty ancestors," Yusef Jackson said. "His remains left to be honored and remembered."
Jackson died at home early Tuesday morning with his children by his side.
On Wednesday, Santita, Jonathan, Jesse, Yusef, and Ashley stood together, showing what it means to lose someone so public, so personal.
Rev. Jesse Jackson in photos: A look back at his life and career
Rev. Jesse Jackson, who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, died Tuesday at 84. In photos, here's a look back at Jackson Sr. through the years.
"We started in the food line here in Chicago and the church, the church was there, so when he leaves out on the slogan of ‘I am somebody’, that's a call for your own self-dignity," Jonathan Jackson said.
Jackson got his start early at 17, fighting for a library card. He won, and kept pushing for civil rights, voting rights, schools, and health care.
His biggest mentor stepped in when he chose faith over law school.
"There is no one who's been more faithful to the mission of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King than Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson Sr.," Santita Jackson said.
His message passed from one generation to the next. The call for dignity, equality, and action didn’t stop with him. It became the work of his children, and now, their children too.
Remembering Jesse Jackson: Tributes pour in for the late civil rights leader
The death of Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Chicago civil rights leader and political trailblazer who worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the city and the nation.
"We are urgently called to continue discourse and to remain in conversation because our proximity is going to keep us moving forward in this time," Ashley Jackson said. "He's always been proximal to all of you, proximal to all of us, and that's the work our generation is required to do moving forward."
The family thanked everyone for the tributes, from neighbors, from President Donald Trump, from former presidents Biden and Obama, but they are asking for something simple.
"Do not bring your politics, out of respect to Rev. Jesse Jackson and the life that he lived, to these home-going services. Come respectful and come to say thank you," Jesse Jackson Jr. said.
What's next:
The family hasn't shared funeral plans yet.
The Source: Details for this story were provided by FOX Chicago's Terrence Lee.