As we reflect on the life, work and legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson, our hearts are heavy with love and gratitude.
From his time at NC A&T to his enduring impact on movements across the South, Rev. Jackson helped shape the moral and political imagination of this country. His leadership, vision, and relentless belief in ordinary people laid the very foundation that continues to guide the work we carry forward in North Carolina and beyond.
In 2021, our team stood arm in arm with Rev. Jackson for a powerful series of non-violent direct actions and assemblies led by the Poor People’s Campaign in Washington, D.C., calling for the immediate restoration of the Voting Rights Act. Rev. Jackson’s decision to lead in that time was prophetic. He urged the nation to see the stakes of obstructing the passage of a restored Voting Rights Act, as he reminded that he had marched and fought with his life - alongside so many others who gave their lives in the struggle for the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In his words and deeds, he bridged generational divides demanding the full protection of the sacred right to vote, risking arrest again to arrest the conscience of the nation to fight for a democracy that has yet to be.
Rev. Jackson was a cornerstone of the Civil Rights movement, a tireless voice for the people, and a dedicated organizer who understood that real change is built by everyday people demanding dignity. He believed deeply in the strength of our communities and the responsibility we share to protect and expand our rights.
His work shifted political landscapes, influenced public policy, and built a Rainbow Coalition that transformed who saw themselves reflected in our democracy. When he declared, “I am somebody,” he gave language to generations who had been told otherwise.
In this moment, we honor Rev. Jackson not only with remembrance, but with action. In North Carolina, where battles over voting rights, economic justice, equal protection, and human dignity continue, we recommit ourselves to the work he so boldly advanced. At Forward Justice, we will protect our communities, and we will continue building a democracy where everybody is truly somebody