We mourn the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson. Jackson was a complex individual and a person of great accomplishment.
In this world of purity litmus tests, cancel culture, and identity politics, it is easy for some to write off this icon of the civil rights movement, focusing on shortcomings and missteps rather than accomplishments.
He helped move the arc of justice forward. We can and should remember him for all the good he did, and hopefully find space in our hearts, even though he, like all of us, had flaws. Jackson fostered a sense of pride and self-esteem in those who struggled in a society determined to deny them, as captured in his well-known saying, “I am Somebody.” Jesse Jackson was Somebody.
This is a moment to rededicate ourselves to the vision of respect and dignity for every person that Jackson preached. The work is far from over, and it is ours to do.
May his memory be for a blessing.