jackson
The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., biography
The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., Founder and President of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, is one of America's foremost civil rights, religious and political figures. Over …
Read More-
We’d be wise to heed Pope Francis’ mission
JESSE JACKSON: Pope Francis is displaying an extraordinary style and passion that demands our attention. He addresses the needs of the poor, embraces outcasts, and loves those on the margins of society. In this recent “apostolic exhortation,” The Joy of the Gospel, the pope raises a moral challenge to both his church and the world.
-
Give thanks now, shop later
JESSE JACKSON: The lust for stuff is a stark contradiction to the origins of Thanksgiving. This year, Wal-Mart will open its stores at 6 p.m. on Thanksgivng Day to begin its “Black Friday” sales. Macy’s, Target, Kmart and others are all moving up their opening times, too. Suddenly, Thanksgiving dinner itself is at risk.
-
Kennedy died, but the haters did not win
Fifty years ago, on a cold day in Dallas, Nov. 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated. To my mind, what is extraordinary about the Kennedy assassination is that the haters did not win. Instead, crucifixion led to resurrection. As a result, for decades, African-American homes …Read More
Search recent columns
More Columns
Tale of two cities: Chicago, New York epitomize struggle for economic justice
JESSE JACKSON: Bill De Blasio is garnering national attention for his landslide election in the New York City Mayor’s race. De Blasio campaigned on a populist agenda, highlighting the stark contrast between the poor and the mega-rich in New York’s “tale of two cities.” De Blasio’s analysis is sadly true for cities across the country, which too often feature two worlds, one of privilege and wealth, another of poverty and despair.
Stand up to bigotry of ‘states’ rights’
In 1980, after receiving the nomination of his party, Ronald Reagan kicked off his presidential campaign in Philadelphia, Miss., at the Neshoba County Fair. Neshoba County is not someplace you just drop into; you have to want to go there. It’s a small town remembered …Read More
Money problems not just at Grambling
The strike of football players at legendary Grambling State University received attention across the world. GSU President Frank Pogue praised the players for providing the “creative tension” needed to bring attention to the plight of Grambling and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in general. …Read More
Medicaid fight has GOP governors standing in the hospital door
The tea party effort to torpedo health-care reform at the federal level has been repelled, but only after the campaign shut down the government, threatened default on the U.S. debt and cost the country billions. But that victory should not blind us to how destructive …
It’s time to stop abusing America’s public employees
The government shutdown engineered by the Republican tea party zealots in the House of Representatives is headed into its third week. The damage is spreading. Infants go without nutrition. Children are locked out of pre-school programs. Scientists are losing support and locking up labs. The …
Shutdown is really a showdown
Did you happen to see Jimmy Kimmel’s interesting skit last week, where he asked people on the street whether they preferred “Obamacare” or the “Affordable Care Act”? Far too many people chose the “Affordable Care Act” over “Obamacare” without realizing that they are one and …
Jesse Jackson: The real lesson of ‘Green Eggs and Ham’
BY JESSE JACKSON: The real lesson of “Green Eggs and Ham,” and other things to think about on the eve of a possible government shutdown.
Keep hope alive with a new war on poverty
Only a couple of weeks ago, as the nation celebrated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful “I Have a Dream” speech, I was reminded of the Rev. King’s last birthday, in January 1968. He combined it …
Five years after the crash began
Five years after the beginning of the financial collapse and the Great Recession, where are we? This week, President Obama offered Americans a progress report. He hailed the steps taken to turn the economy around and rescue the auto and financial industries. He used the …
Isolate — don’t bomb — Syria
President Obama will address the nation on Syria tonight hoping to stem opposition that is rising both at home and abroad. Polls show the broad majority of Americans oppose getting further involved in Syria. Despite his best efforts, the president could not persuade even a …
Stand up to ‘dream busters’
We have heard the call for action. The 50th anniversary of the March for Jobs and Freedom outlined what needs to be done to revive the Dream. President Obama has put forward part of that agenda for action. And now we face the Dream Busters. …
50 years later: The president’s response
This Wednesday, Aug. 28, on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “Dream” oration, President Barack Obama will speak from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, joined by former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. Much of the …
King’s unfinished symphony of freedom
Next weekend, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, best known for Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Dream.” Fifty years later, the dream challenges us yet. It is alive because it is not static. The dream of equal …
King’s march was for jobs and freedom
BY JESSE JACKSON. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the famous March on Washington,Americans will recall Dr. King’s famous “dream.”But it’s worth recalling the full meaning of that dream. But for jobs and economic opportunity, the March on Washington remains unfinished 50 years later.
Enshrine voting right in the Constitution
On this day, 48 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, announcing, “This right to vote is the basic right without which all others are meaningless. It gives people, as individuals, control over their own destinies.” With Martin Luther King Jr. and …Read More
North Carolina’s Tea Party nightmares
North Carolina — once poster child for the New South— now displays the nightmares spawned by the Tea Party right no longer restrained by the Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court’s conservative gang of five disemboweled it in the Shelby case. In North Carolina, …
From conversation to action: After Trayvon
President Barack Obama eloquently described the agony experienced among African-Americans from the slaying of Trayvon Martin. He called for a more thoughtful “conversation” on race, convened not by politicians, but among families, in churches and workplaces. He suggested modest steps to provide greater training on …
