Former US presidents and thousands of individuals gathered at the House of Hope on Chicago’s South Side for a public memorial service to honor the late civil rights leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson, who passed away last month.
Former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton delivered speeches at the memorial service in Chicago for the renowned activist.
Among the attendees were former Vice President Kamala Harris, filmmaker Tyler Perry, and former basketball star Isiah Thomas. Jackson, who worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. towards a common objective, ran for the Democratic presidential nomination twice and established the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
During his speech at the service, Obama praised Jackson while indirectly referencing former President Donald Trump, stating, “Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions.” He also highlighted how the late preacher encouraged people to pursue a more challenging path and urged everyone to advocate for change.
Former Vice President Harris received a standing ovation for her remarks at the service. She seemed to criticize Trump by saying, “Let me just start out by saying: I predicted a lot of what is happening right now. I hate to say I told you, but we did see it coming.” However, she acknowledged that they are facing this moment without Jackson’s guidance.
Additionally, civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, who collaborated closely with Jackson during the civil rights movement, was also a speaker at the memorial service.
