Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement on the passing of civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson, founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
“America has lost one of its great moral voices. Reverend Jesse Jackson spent his life working to ensure our nation lives up to its highest ideals. From his early days as a young staffer with Dr. King onto the national stage, he fought for freedom, racial justice, equality, and for the human dignity of the marginalized and the poor. As a kid growing up in public housing while watching him run for President, Rev. Jesse Jackson gave me a glimpse of what is possible and taught me to say, “I am somebody!” As an adult, I was proud to call him a friend.
“With an eloquence and rhythmic rhetoric all his own, Jesse Jackson reminded America that equal justice is not inevitable; it requires vigilance and commitment, and for freedom fighters, sacrifice. His ministry was poetry and spiritual power in the public square. He advanced King’s dream and bent the arc of history closer to justice.
“My deepest condolences are with his family and to all those who were shaped by his witness. His legacy will remain a beacon for generations to come, and I pray it inspires us to continue the work he started.”
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