Memorial Services Expanded for Civil Rights Leader Rev. Jesse Jackson

Events planned in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina to honor the late activist's life and legacy.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Memorial services honoring the life of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., a prominent civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate, will be expanded beyond Chicago to include events in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina, Jackson's organization announced. Jackson, a protégé of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., passed away earlier this week at the age of 84 after battling a rare neurological disorder.

Why it matters

As a key figure in the civil rights movement, Rev. Jesse Jackson's death marks the passing of an era. The expanded memorial services across multiple cities reflect the national significance of Jackson's decades-long advocacy and activism, as well as the desire to celebrate his life and legacy with people from the communities he fought for.

The details

In addition to the public celebration of life and private homegoing services planned in Chicago, formal memorial events have been scheduled from March 1 to March 4 in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina, where Jackson was born and raised. The Chicago events will be held at the House of Hope, a 10,000-seat church, and at the headquarters of Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

  • Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. passed away earlier this week at the age of 84.
  • Public celebration of life in Chicago scheduled for March 6.
  • Private homegoing services in Chicago scheduled for March 7, to be livestreamed.
  • Memorial events in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina scheduled from March 1 to March 4.

The players

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.

A prominent civil rights leader, two-time presidential candidate, and protégé of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who passed away this week at the age of 84.

Santita Jackson

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s eldest child, who vowed to continue her father's decades of advocacy.

Rainbow PUSH Coalition

The organization founded by Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. that announced the expanded memorial services.

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What they’re saying

“Although his body is absent from us, his spirit suffuses and infuses us, and it charges us to continue with the work.”

— Santita Jackson, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s eldest child (wbal.com)

What’s next

The specific dates and details of the memorial services in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina have not yet been announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

The takeaway

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s life and legacy as a civil rights leader will be honored through expanded memorial services across multiple cities, reflecting the national significance of his decades-long advocacy and activism. His family has vowed to continue his work, underscoring the enduring impact of his lifelong fight for equality and justice.