Reverend Jesse Jackson Dies: The Early Fire That Forged a Civil Rights Giant

This post originally appeared on The Burton Wire News on Substack. An excerpt follows. Please read the entire article on Substack.

EXCERPT
The passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson marks the end of a towering chapter in the American struggle for civil rights, economic justice, and political empowerment. Though he would later become a presidential candidate and global statesman, Jackson’s earliest years in the public eye defined him as a fearless organizer, strategist, and moral voice for African Americans seeking freedom and equality in a deeply divided nation.

A Protégé in the Civil Rights Crucible

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1941, Jackson came of age during the height of the civil rights movement. His life changed profoundly when he joined the movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a young seminarian, Jackson became closely associated with Dr. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), quickly distinguishing himself as a gifted orator and tireless field organizer.

Jackson was present during some of the most pivotal campaigns of the 1960s, including voter registration drives and economic justice efforts across the South. His ability to mobilize communities, especially young African Americans, helped broaden the movement’s reach. He brought urgency and boldness to campaigns that sought not only desegregation, but dignity, economic opportunity, and political power.

When Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, Jackson emerged from the shadow of his mentor, determined to continue the work. He became one of the most visible inheritors of King’s vision, but he also began shaping a distinctive path of his own, one rooted in grassroots mobilization and institutional power.

Building Economic Power: Operation PUSH

In 1971, Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity). The organization represented a strategic shift in the freedom struggle, from protest alone to economic leverage. Jackson argued that political equality without economic access left African Americans vulnerable and marginalized.

Operation PUSH pushed corporations to hire more Black executives, invest in minority communities, and open supply chains to Black-owned businesses. Jackson’s “buy Black” campaigns and negotiations with major companies signaled a new phase in civil rights activism, one that recognized the power of markets alongside marches.

Through Operation PUSH, Jackson trained a new generation of activists who understood that justice required structural change. He framed economic empowerment as a continuation of the civil rights movement, not a departure from it.

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Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire, wrote this original article and this post. Follow The Burton Wire on Instagram and Meta. Subscribe to The Burton Wire on Substack here.