A Civil Rights Icon

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I bring this up a lot but I am flabbergasted that black women were not allowed to vote until 1965. That is literally the year I was born. How could that be? White women were allowed to vote in the 1920’s. But not blacks, or even Native Americans (who are the ONLY group that is not an immigrant to the United States!!) were allowed to vote yet.

I know we are a young country. We are celebrating our 250th anniversary. To put that into context–when we were in Edinburgh, Scotland, they had banners everywhere that they were celebrating their 999th anniversary!!

But the 60’s and 70’s were turbulent years, especially for Civil Rights. Those years made a big impact, but we are far from done.

One reason for that big impact was Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Most of us know all of the wonderful things he did for minorities and it is right that he is recognized with his own holiday in January. But when he was assassinated in 1968, there was still so much work that needed to be done. He started the movement, but others had to carry on with his work. One of his biggest followers and friends was the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

King and Jackson were very close. The picture that you see in the beginning of this blog was minutes before King was assassinated. Rev. King is the 2nd man from the right. Rev. Jackson is the 2nd man from the left. Minutes after King was shot, Jackson had to call Coretta King (King’s wife) to tell her that her husband had died.

Jackson carried on the work of MLK, most of the time in Chicago. Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) in Chicago in 1971 and later the Rainbow Coalition, merging them to advocate for racial, economic, and political justice. He ran for president in 1984 and 1988. He also negotiated the release of American prisoners, including three US soldiers held in Yugoslavia in 1999. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

This week Rev. Jesse Jackson died at the age of 84. He had done so many things for Civil Rights and the rights of others, it is too numerous to mention. He is a Civil Rights Icon.

And, as a mother, I am so proud. This last picture is of my daughters with their dad, attending a rally in 2010. At this rally, my daughters heard, in person, this iconic man speak for the rights of educators and students of the Chicago Public Schools. Even though they are both adults, I don’t think they still understand how they are a part of history. Not a lot of people can say that they heard this man speak in person, but my family can.

I can’t wait to see who takes up the reins from Rev. Jackson. There is still so much work that needs to be done and I would be proud to help in any way I can.

Rest in Peace Rev. Jesse Jackson.