JRF Celebrates the Life and Impact of the Civil Rights icon

The Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) mourns the loss of activist, author, and towering political figure Jesse Jackson. One of the most iconic figures in the Civil Rights Movement, Jackson of course worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the fight for justice and equality—building the momentum for what would become a lifelong commitment to advancing equity and inclusion for all.  

Reverend Jackson had an enduring connection to this Foundation’s legacy, having eulogized Jackie Robinson in 1972 at Riverside Church in New York City. He also served on the JRF Board of Directors from 1979 to 1996 and was the recipient of the JRF Robie Award for Humanitarianism in 1989. 

Jackson said of Robinson, “Today we must balance the tears of sorrow with the tears of joy, mix the bitter with the sweet, death and life. Jackie, as a figure in history, was a rock in the water creating concentric circles and ripples of new possibility.” While lacking the extraordinary eloquence of Reverend Jackson, we similarly salute his enduring impact as a political giant who forced America to look in the mirror and earn its self-proclaimed label as the land of the free.

After strengthening his leadership and advocacy skills at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) to rally for the opportunities that Black Americans needed to survive and thrive.  In 1984, Jackson established the National Rainbow Coalition with a mission to relentlessly seek equal rights for African Americans, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. The two organizations would later merge to form the globally-recognized Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

While we feel great sorrow in light of this tremendous loss, we take solace in the fact that Jackson’s energy and commitment will fuel the ongoing fight for equality and justice forevermore.

We extend heartfelt condolences to Reverend Jackson’s family.

May he rest in eternal peace.