CHICAGO (WLS) — Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away on Tuesday at 84 years old. The esteemed civil rights figure had been battling an uncommon neurodegenerative condition.
His family, in conjunction with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, has announced an updated itinerary for memorial services honoring Jackson, which will now encompass events in Chicago and South Carolina.
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Jacqueline Jackson, his wife of more than six decades, is coordinating the funeral arrangements.
“Following yesterday’s announcement of Reverend Jackson’s Homegoing service details, we received outreach from leaders in South Carolina and Washington, D.C., both locations holding deep personal meaning for him,” a family statement Thursday indicated in part. “They have bestowed the exceptional privilege of hosting formal commemorative events in his birth state of South Carolina and in Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital. These public viewings will precede official services in his cherished city of Chicago on March 6 and 7.”
However, the family subsequently announced that the Washington, D.C., services had been postponed.
Below is the complete schedule of memorial services:
Thursday, Feb. 26
Public Visitation at Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Venue: 930 E. 50th St., Chicago, IL 60615
Entry begins: 10 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 27
Public Visitation at Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Venue: 930 E. 50th St., Chicago, IL 60615
Entry begins: 10 a.m.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management has issued advisories regarding street closures preceding the Thursday and Friday visitations.
Road closures will be in effect from 5:30 a.m. to 11:15 p.m., impacting both northbound and southbound lanes of South Drexel Boulevard, specifically between East Hyde Park Boulevard (51st Street) and East 49th Street.
Additionally, East 50th Street will be inaccessible between South Drexel Avenue and South Ellis Avenue.
Access, Queuing, and Security Protocols
Primary entry points and rideshare drop-offs: Intersection of East 49th Street and South Drexel, and East Hyde Park and South Drexel.
Designated accessible drop-off location: East 50th Street and South Ellis Avenue.
Queues will form along South Drexel.
All attendees must undergo magnetometer screening prior to entry.
Sunday, March 1 to Thursday, March 5
Transportation to and from South Carolina
Monday, March 2
Lying in State at South Carolina State Capitol – Rotunda
Address: 1100 Gervais St., Columbia, South Carolina
10 a.m. EST – Public Memorial Service
This public service will feature:
Tributes from municipal, state, and national officials
Musical performances by the Allen University and/or Benedict College Choir
A ceremonial wreath laying
4 p.m. EST – Worship Service at Brookland Baptist Church
Address: 1066 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia, South Carolina
Friday, March 6
Community Tribute at House of Hope
Venue: 752 E. 114th St., Chicago, IL 60628
Entry begins: 9 a.m.
Ceremony: 11 a.m.
Saturday, March 7
Exclusive Farewell Service at Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Venue: 930 E. 50th St., Chicago, IL 60615
Entry begins: 8 a.m.
Ceremony: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Attendance restricted
Following the announcement of his death, Reverend Jesse Jackson is being commemorated nationwide as a transformative figure whose unwavering dedication to universal justice was boundless.
This esteemed civil rights leader championed not only people of color but all who faced marginalization, notably facilitating the release of three American soldiers from Yugoslavia.
Prior to leading the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he established Operation Breadbasket in 1966. This initiative, based in the basement of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Fuller Park, aimed to combat hunger and encourage businesses to employ Black individuals, a mandate he received from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Whether he was challenging racism and social inequities in public spaces or corporate settings, or striving for political parity for people of color, Jesse Jackson consistently proved to be an formidable presence.
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