Watch live: Former Democratic presidents remember the late Rev. Jesse Jackson during final public tribute

2 weeks ago 3

By SOPHIA TAREEN and MATT BROWN, Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — From former presidents to an NBA Hall of Famer to prominent church pastors, stories of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s influence on politics, corporate boardrooms and picket lines loomed large Friday at a celebration honoring the late civil rights leader.

Thousands of people gathered at a church on Chicago’s South Side to pay a final public tribute to Jackson.

The celebration — with appearances by Grammy-winning gospel singers and Jennifer Hudson — felt at times like a church service and others like a political rally. Many, from former President Bill Clinton to the Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader and founder of the National Action Network, likened Jackson’s death to a call to action, from speaking out against justice to voting in the midterms.

Former President Barack Obama said Jackson’s presidential runs in the 1980s set the stage for other Black leaders, including his own successful 2009 presidency and re-election.