CITY HALL — It was a celebration fit for a king — or, perhaps, a civil rights icon — as the Rev. Jesse Jackson was feted on his 83rd birthday by Mayor Brandon Johnson Tuesday.
Chicagoans from all walks packed into City Hall’s fourth-floor lobby to join the festivities as family and friends shared loving memories of Jackson, who was all smiles as he received a key to the city from Johnson.
Former Ald. Bob Fioretti — currently the Republican candidate for Cook County state’s attorney — worked the room as George Blakemore, “Chicago’s Most Concerned Citizen,” reunited with old friends while rocking a colorful ensemble, complete with a custom-designed “Make America Great Again” cap — his trademarked style.
The “Sunday service” feel of the celebration was evident from the speaker lineup, as some of the city’s notable faith leaders took turns at the podium to honor the longtime activist, including Charles Jenkins, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church pastor emeritus, and the Rev. Jenette Wilson.
Each speaker represented a significant part of Jackson’s life, from the fraternity he joined as a college student to the church where he ministered in his early years. They also touched on his decades of social justice work as a mentee of Martin Luther King Jr., who gave the passionate young man a role in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a move that raised Jackson’s profile to the national stage.
Jackson eventually entered the political arena, becoming the second Black American to run for president and making enough of an impression to shape the Democratic Party behind the scenes. He had run for shadow senator for Washington, D.C., several years later, a position he held for six years as the district fought for statehood.
The faith leader would also receive a number of accolades along the way both here and abroad, from the NAACP’s President’s Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom to being appointed Commander of the Legion of Honor by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.’s 83rd birthday is celebrated at City Hall on Oct. 8, 2024. Mayor Brandon Johnson presented the civil rights leader with a key to the city during the celebration. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
The beleaguered mayor couldn’t resist taking a few digs at the press as he praised Jackson for his lifelong dedication to human rights.
“Through the lens of our personal experiences as Black people, you’ve been able to eloquently and profoundly stitch together the hopes and dreams of not just our ancestors, but the hopes and dreams of other people [and] groups, and you were able to prophetically connect our hopes and aspirations to people who also sought justice,” Johnson said. “This is about us cementing your leadership into the halls of power for generations.”
The Rev. Reginald Sharpe, of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, spoke of Jackson’s strong bond with Sharpe’s predecessor, the late Rev. Clay Evans, and how the icon launched what would become Operation P.U.S.H. from the church’s basement as church leaders battled the city for a permanent home. Jackson, who helped secure the loan for the building where Fellowship now stands, was ordained by Evans and became an associate minister while there.
The civil rights leader was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and uses a wheelchair. While he didn’t make any remarks at the celebration, he took photos with well-wishers after the ceremony.
Jacqueline Jackson holds hands with Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.’s as his 83rd birthday is celebrated at City Hall on Oct. 8, 2024. Mayor Brandon Johnson presented the civil rights leader with a key to the city during the celebration. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Rep. Jonathan Jackson was visibly touched as he thanked those in attendance for the love and support shown to his father throughout the years, giving a speech about his father’s relationship with the city and how it shaped him while noting the importance of “giving flowers to great men and great women while they can still smell them.”
The freshman congressman, who replaced longtime politico Bobby Rush last year, applauded his father’s efforts to push the country in the right direction.
“The more you think about his life, the more it becomes clear to me that while we do get to choose where we call home, Chicago, the story of Jesse Lewis Jackson cannot be told without also telling the story of the city of Chicago,” Jonathan Jackson said. “All of the fire and all of the fervor that Jesse Jackson amassed an order to keep the light of the dream alive? He got it from his interactions from the city of Chicago.”
For Ald. David Moore (17th), taking part in the celebration was an emotional moment.
“When people say ‘I’m doing this’ or ‘I’m doing that,’ that’s because I’m standing on the shoulders of Rev. Clay Evans, I’m standing on the shoulders of Rev. Jesse Jackson,” Moore said. “When you’re standing on their shoulders, you should be able to look higher and further. That’s what this means. At the end of the day, him having that key to the city says a whole lot in terms of what he’s done for this city, Chicago. If it happens in Chicago, it can happen anywhere.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson presents Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. with a key to the city during his 83rd birthday celebration at City Hall on Oct. 8, 2024. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
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