SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez, the Illinois AFL-CIO and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias issued statements from Illinois reacting to the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., remembering the civil rights leader’s decades of work on social justice, politics and labor issues.
Durbin, the Senate Democratic whip and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Jackson “committed his life to the fight for civil rights.”
“I counted him as a friend and ally on many issues of social justice,” Durbin said. “My deepest condolences are with his family, friends, and the many lives he touched.”
In a statement released in Chicago, Hernandez said Jackson “shaped political and civic life in our state” and cited his presidential campaigns, his work with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and his organizing in Chicago.
“From the South Side, he built Operation PUSH and later the Rainbow PUSH Coalition into real organizing power because he believed in civic participation and in the responsibility to use your voice,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez said Jackson would be remembered for “his love and fight for Black Americans, for children, and for anyone who was underserved and overlooked,” adding that he “fought for jobs, pushed for fair access to opportunity and education, and demanded investment in Black communities.”
“We extend our condolences to Mrs. Jacqueline Jackson, their children and grandchildren, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition community,” she said.
The Illinois AFL-CIO said the state’s labor movement “mourns the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson,” calling him “a towering figure in Illinois and Chicago politics” whose work connected labor and civil rights.
“Throughout his life, Rev. Jackson fought tirelessly for working people in Chicago, across Illinois, and throughout the country,” the organization said, adding that he walked picket lines, supported workers in bargaining and championed inclusion in union membership.
The group cited a speech delivered during Jackson’s 1988 presidential bid, quoting him as saying “the American worker is not asking for welfare, he’s asking for a fair share—not for charity but for parity.”
Giannoulias called Jackson “a towering figure whose courage, conviction, and compassion helped shape the course of American history,” describing him as “a trailblazer in civil rights, a voice for justice, and a barrier-breaking presidential candidate.”
“As we mourn his passing, we honor his unwavering commitment and many years of service advocating for civil rights and social justice, and we recommit ourselves to continuing that fight,” Giannoulias said.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued a statement on recent passing of civil rights activist, Rev. Jesse Jackson.
“Rev. Jackson had an impact on my life since I was a young boy, growing up a block away from PUSH headquarters. The words ‘I am somebody!’ resonated with me, giving hope of what I may one day achieve by way of service to others. As I raised my kids a block away from the PUSH headquarters, I brought them to PUSH when they were young to hear the same words. He was always a strong advocate for Haiti and challenged me to be the same. He never hesitated to call to challenge me, unapologetically, to do better in my service to others. I am a better public servant because of Rev. Jesse Jackson. Rest, Reverend; you have earned your peace.”
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson:
“Reverend Jesse Jackson was a barrier-breaking civil rights giant who spent his days, his nights—and his whole life—working to improve the lives of others and patch America together into a ‘great quilt of unity and common ground.’
“He grew up in a South that was marred by segregated lunch counters and water fountains. But that never, ever stopped him from believing that America could—would—be better if we all had the courage to speak out, to sit in, to march across every bridge and through any obstacle that stood in the way of progress.
“America is not, and has never been, perfect. But we are closer to that more perfect union our founders dreamed of because of him.
“I’m endlessly grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Reverend Jackson over the years. I, like so many others, will miss him deeply.
“Thank you for keeping the hope alive, Reverend Jackson. Now it’s on each of us to carry your torch forward.”
