HR0671 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0671 LRB104 20868 LAW 34517 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Reverend Jesse Jackson was a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement, an influential political leader in Illinois and across the nation, and a dedicated Baptist minister in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, From a young age, Rev. Jackson was an active participant in local and national civil rights efforts, protesting against segregation and unfair working conditions, which included staging a sit-in at a whites-only public library in Greenville, South Carolina in 1960; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson's connection to Illinois began at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he accepted a football scholarship and played for the university for one year; and

WHEREAS, While enrolled at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Rev. Jackson's organized protests against violent police responses led him to meet Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., prompting him to join the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and participate in the historic 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama; and

WHEREAS, Returning to Chicago, Rev. Jackson led the SCLC's Operation Breadbasket, a project that prioritized opening doors for Black Americans in the workforce, promoting Black-owned enterprises, and encouraging white businesses to invest in Black companies, which resulted in his appointment as national director of SCLC in 1967; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood, with a focus on Black economic empowerment and opportunity; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson spoke boldly about the Chicago news media's exclusiveness for white-only reporters, boycotting and picketing in front of WBBM-Channel 2's Streeterville studio for 10 months, ultimately leading to the increased hiring of people of color and women at the station; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson established the Rainbow Coalition in 1984, drawing inspiration from activist and civil rights icon Fred Hampton's vision to advocate for social programs, voting rights, and affirmative action for all groups negatively impacted by the economic policies of President Ronald Reagan's administration; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson's presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 highlighted his commitment to fairness and inclusion and attracted a diverse coalition of supporters from big cities, suburbs, and small towns alike; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson remained deeply engaged with progressive policy, serving as a shadow delegate and shadow U.S. Senator for the District of Columbia (D.C.) from 1991 to 1997; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson proved to be an invaluable advisor in international diplomacy, successfully securing the release of captives in Syria, Iraq, and Kosovo, advocating for peace in Northern Ireland, and serving as President Bill Clinton's special envoy of democracy to Kenya; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson continued his pursuit of Black social justice and corporate accountability by merging the Rainbow Coalition and Operation Push civil rights organizations in 1996; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson's profound commitment to lifelong public service was recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Jackson passed peacefully at the age of 84 in the early morning of February 17, 2025; and

WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the State of Illinois honors Rev. Jackson's lifelong exemplary public service, his tireless commitment to the advancement of Black Americans, and his powerful influence on the Civil Rights Movement; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor the life and unwavering commitment of Rev. Jesse Jackson upon his death on February 17, 2026.