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

Jackson's body will be honored at the South Carolina Statehouse before public services in Chicago.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., a prominent civil rights activist and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, will be honored at the South Carolina capitol next week. Jackson's body will lie in state at the Statehouse, where his civil rights career began as a high school student integrating the local library in Greenville. After services in Chicago, Jackson will also be celebrated in Washington, D.C.

Why it matters

Jesse Jackson was a towering figure in the civil rights movement, working alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and later running for president. His death marks the passing of a generation of civil rights pioneers, and honoring him at the South Carolina Statehouse recognizes the state's complex history with the civil rights struggle.

The details

Jackson's body will lie in state at the South Carolina Statehouse on Monday. Details of the event are still to be released by state officials. Jackson's civil rights career began in high school in Greenville, where he led a group of Black students to integrate the whites-only public library in 1960. He went on to become a key protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.

  • Jackson's body will lie in state at the South Carolina Statehouse on Monday, February 26, 2026.
  • Public services will be held in Chicago on March 6, 2026, followed by private homegoing services the next day.

The players

Jesse Jackson Sr.

A prominent civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and two-time Democratic presidential candidate who was a key figure in the civil rights movement alongside Martin Luther King Jr.

Henry McMaster

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

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What’s next

Details about the public viewing and memorial service at the South Carolina Statehouse are expected to be released by state officials in the coming days.

The takeaway

Jesse Jackson's legacy as a civil rights pioneer and presidential candidate will be commemorated in his home state of South Carolina, where his activism began as a high school student. His passing marks the end of an era, but his lifelong fight for racial justice and equality will continue to inspire new generations of activists.