All posts tagged "Jesse Jackson"

Former President Barack Obama delivered a strong message to President Donald Trump — and the nation — in his eulogy for civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson in Chicago on Friday.

The celebration of life for Jackson, who died on Feb. 17 at age 84, included thousands of people at the House of Hope in Chicago. Obama, a close friend of Jackson, was one of several notable speakers and performers to take the stage, and took a moment during his speech to describe what Jackson meant to him, his legacy and important work.

Without naming Trump directly, Obama criticized the president — describing the current state of leadership in the United States and how Jackson's commitment to democracy has been tested. Obama argued that it mattered to continue Jackson's message of hope. ...

The internet was shocked Wednesday after President Donald Trump gave a Black History Month speech at the White House, where he made some questionable comments about the late Rev. Jesse Jackson and his new ballroom — followed by the crowd chanting for him to stay in office.

Trump was speaking on the Black community's contributions to American society and called the late Civil Rights leader "a piece of work" while attempting to memorialize Jackson.

"He was a good man, he was a real hero, and I just want to pay my highest respects," Trump said. ...

Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. -- son of civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson -- was sent to solitary confinement earlier this year for helping other inmates understand and assert their rights, then transferred to a different prison. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Jackson was segregated from the inmate population for four to five days after a guard took exception to his advisement of other prisoners of their rights.

Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson told CNN that the release of an American held by Colombian rebels for more than three months is imminent, despite the reservations of Colombia's President about a media spectacle during negotiations.

Jesse Jackson Jr. -- former congressman and son of civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson -- was sentenced to 30 months behind bars on Wednesday for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his own campaign fund and using that money to fund a lavish, high-flying lifestyle. According to the Washington Post, the "once-promising" Illinois politician said in court that he "could not have been more wrong" in his decision to put campaign funds to personal use.

Hollywood star Sean Penn, civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and a pair of US politicians joined mourners at Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez's funeral Friday, with the reverend praying for better US-Venezuelan relations.