Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson to Lie in State in South Carolina

Jackson's body will be honored at the South Carolina Statehouse next Monday.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., a renowned civil rights activist, will be honored at the South Carolina capitol in the state where he was born and where his crusade career as a civil rights leader began in high school by pushing to integrate his local library. Jackson's body will lie in state next Monday at the South Carolina Statehouse, and his life will be celebrated in Chicago and Washington, D.C. in the coming weeks.

Why it matters

Jesse Jackson was a towering figure in the civil rights movement, working alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and later running for the Democratic presidential nomination. His life and legacy had a profound impact on the fight for racial equality in the United States, and honoring him at the South Carolina Statehouse, where his activism began, is a fitting tribute.

The details

Jackson, 84, died on Feb. 17 after battling a rare neurological disorder. His body will lie in repose this week at the Chicago headquarters of his Rainbow PUSH Coalition before traveling to South Carolina and Washington, D.C. for more celebrations of his life. A public service will be held in Chicago at House of Hope, a 10,000-seat church, on March 6, followed by private homegoing services the next day at Rainbow PUSH, which will be livestreamed.

  • Jackson's body will lie in state at the South Carolina Statehouse next Monday.
  • A public service will be held in Chicago at House of Hope on March 6.
  • Private homegoing services will be held at Rainbow PUSH on March 7.

The players

Jesse Jackson Sr.

A renowned civil rights activist who was a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.

Henry McMaster

The governor of South Carolina, who announced that Jackson's body will lie in state at the South Carolina Statehouse.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Jesse Jackson's body will lie in state next Monday at the South Carolina Statehouse.”

— Henry McMaster, Governor of South Carolina (AP)

What’s next

Details about the public viewing and memorial service at the South Carolina Statehouse are expected to be released later.

The takeaway

The decision to honor Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon born in South Carolina, by allowing his body to lie in state at the state capitol is a powerful tribute to his lifelong commitment to the fight for racial equality and social justice.