Jesse Jackson to Step Down as Head of Civil Rights Organisation – Jesse Jackson, the renowned civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate, will be resigning from his position as the head of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which he established in Chicago. The organization declared on Friday that they would honor him during their annual convention this weekend.
“Reverend Jesse Jackson is officially pivoting from his role as president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. His commitment is unwavering, and he will elevate his life’s work by teaching ministers how to fight for social justice and continue the freedom movement,” the organisation said.
“Rev Jackson’s global impact and civil rights career will be celebrated this weekend at the 57th annual Rainbow PUSH Coalition convention, where his successor will be introduced.” Jesse Jackson, who has been at the forefront of the US civil rights movement since the 1960s, will be stepping down from his leadership role in the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
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Throughout his career, he fought alongside his mentor Martin Luther King Jr. for the rights of Black Americans and other minorities, and he was present when King was tragically assassinated in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. Jackson has remained actively engaged in advocating for social justice.
He stood in solidarity with George Floyd’s family, attending a memorial for the Black man who was unjustly killed by a white police officer in 2020. This event sparked a nationwide reckoning with police brutality and racism. Additionally, Jackson participated in Covid vaccination drives to combat hesitancy within Black communities.
During a weekly broadcast on Saturday, Jackson mentioned his forthcoming transition, underscoring his 64 years of dedicated involvement in the civil rights movement. He also mentioned that the new president would address the coalition’s annual convention this weekend.
The decision for Jackson to retire from his leadership position follows a series of health challenges he has faced in recent years. In 2017, he publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which progressively impairs movement over time.
In 2021, he was hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19, and he was admitted again later that year due to a fall and subsequent head injury. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition originated from the merger of two groups. The first, People United to Save Humanity, was established by Jackson in 1971 to continue the work of Martin Luther King Jr.
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The second coalition was formed after Jackson’s initial unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984. In his subsequent run in 1988, Jackson achieved considerable success by winning multiple primaries and gaining support from black voters and white liberals. However, he ultimately fell short of becoming the first Black presidential nominee from a major party.