DETROIT – Rev. Jesse Jackson is being remembered in Detroit for his unwavering commitment to justice and his willingness to lend his voice to causes affecting Detroiters.
“If you listened to him, it was not just catchy phrases. It was intellectualism with some emotionalism that was transactional,” said Rev. Horace Sheffield III of the Detroit Association of Black Organizations.
The civil rights activist made many visits to Detroit, building strong relationships over the decades.
“He took me places that I needed to see,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-6th District.
Dingell reflected on Jackson’s legacy. “He was a good man in his own way, fought hard for civil rights, for justice, for equality for all.”
Jackson officiated the wedding of NAACP Detroit Branch President Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony in 2005.
“Jesse was a friend of the poor, a true fighter for justice for those on the battlefield, a liberator of the mind to those who refuse to think,” said Anthony in a statement.
In his last sit-down interview with Local 4 in 2023, Jackson shared his appreciation for Detroit’s impact in the fight for justice.
“Detroit is the conscience. There are more woke people in Detroit because of the labor movement,” said Jackson.
In 2013, Jackson joined the fight against the appointment of an emergency manager in Detroit.
“No governor has the authority to take away the impact of our vote,” said Jackson.
When Nelson Mandela visited Detroit in 1990, Jackson was part of Local 4’s coverage and said about Mandela, “He’s leading by hope, but not fear.”
Jackson himself lived by those words. The two-time presidential candidate inspired countless people in his 84 years to dream and work for a better tomorrow.
“He kept hope alive, and now it’s our time,” said Sheffield.
The NAACP Detroit Branch is planning a special tribute to honor Jackson at the 71st Annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner in April.
“He is in a category that only a few people have ever been able to achieve. America is a better nation because of Jesse Jackson,” Anthony said.
During Jackson’s second presidential campaign in 1988, he won Michigan’s Democratic caucus, making him the first Black candidate to win a major party presidential primary or caucus.