The death of the Rev. Jesse Jackson ‘marks the end of an era’
Northwestern University scholars offer context to his life and legacy
EVANSTON, Ill. --- Following the death of civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson, several Northwestern University scholars are available today to speak with journalists and can offer historical context to his life and legacy. Jackson’s decades-long career reshaped American politics, civil rights advocacy and the Democratic Party.
Feel free to use the quotes below or please reach out to Stephen Lewis at stephen.j.lewis@northwestern.edu to inquire about interviews.
Tillery, professor in the Department of Political Science, researches American politics with a focus on racial and ethnic politics and social movements.
Quotes from Professor Tillery:
“The passing of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., one of the towering figures of modern American politics and a lifelong champion of civil rights, democracy, and human dignity, is a watershed moment in Black politics. A close lieutenant to Martin Luther King Jr. and a national leader within the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Reverend Jackson stood at the center of the movement’s transition from street protest to institutional political power.”
“Jackson’s coalition politics expanded the ideological boundaries of the Democratic Party, elevating issues such as voting rights enforcement, economic redistribution, anti-apartheid activism, and criminal justice reform decades before they became mainstream. While the influence of concentrated wealth in politics—especially after Citizens United v. FEC—has complicated the leverage of grassroots factions, the broad counter mobilization in response to Donald Trump underscores the continuing vitality of the politics Jackson helped institutionalize. Reverend Jackson’s legacy endures in a Democratic Party that is more representative of minority and progressive interests and in a democratic tradition that insists participation—not exclusion—is the lifeblood of American self-government.”
Biondi, Lorraine H. Morton Professor in the Department of Black Studies, teaches 20th- century African American history with a focus on social movements, politics and labor.
Quote from Professor Biondi:
“Jesse Jackson was an unstoppable force in American life and politics. During the Reagan era, he became the conscience of the nation, building multiracial support in two presidential campaigns that amplified issues of poverty and inequality. His ‘rainbow coalition’ embraced immigrant rights, reproductive freedom, union rights and LGBTQ rights. Jackson was relentless in calling for sanctions against apartheid South Africa and helped build the pressure that pushed Congress to act in 1986. Indeed, he endeavored to push U.S. foreign policy away from Cold War thinking in order to promote peace and equitable development in the global South. His impact was local, national and international, and in many ways his death marks the end of an era.”
Gadsden, an associate professor in the Department of History, specializes in 20th-century American and African American history with a focus on Black political and social history, Black freedom struggles, racial discrimination, segregation and inequality.
Quote from Professor Gadsden:
“In the history of Democratic Party politics, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., should be remembered as someone who challenged establishment leaders to better attend to the needs of racial minorities and the poor. His skill for overcoming the dismissals and disdain often hurled at insurgent candidates, especially in his 1988 run for the Democratic Party nomination, should serve as a model for future leaders with similar ambitions to bend the party’s priorities toward the arc of justice.”
Boyle, William Smith Mason Professor of American History and chair in the Department of History, teaches courses on modern United States history, the civil rights movement and racial violence.
Quote from Professor Boyle:
“Jesse Jackson was a transformative figure in American public life, a bridge between the epic struggle for civil rights and the age of Obama, whose relentless moral witness made millions of Americans believe that the American promise could be fulfilled.”
Morris is professor emeritus of sociology at Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern. He is the author of the prize-winning book “The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement,” which emphasizes the organizational and cultural basis of social protest. He can be reached at amorris@northwestern.edu.
Quote from Professor Morris:
“Rev. Jesse Jackson was a global humanitarian who spread the liberation mission of the civil rights movement across the world. During the dark times following Dr. King’s assassination, the world wondered who would shoulder King’s legacy and project it forward. Jesse Jackson stepped into the vacuum and embraced that mantle proclaiming, ‘We Are Somebody’ and ‘We Must Keep Hope Alive.’ Through his voice and actions millions of voices were lifted, determined to work to achieve King’s mighty dream of freedom. Jackson made a monumental difference in the lives of people on every level, especially the dispossessed and disinherited. On this day, we express our eternal gratitude to this unforgettable freedom fighter who has joined the ancestors.”