Local leaders in the Pittsburgh region mourn the loss of Reverend Jesse Jackson

Local leaders in the Pittsburgh region mourn the loss of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

“Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. was more than a leader of a movement; at a defining moment in American history, he was the embodiment of hope for an entire generation,” The Black Political Empowerment Movement said in a statement. “His voice carried the aspirations of those long excluded from the promise of democracy, and his work helped reshape the political and moral landscape of this country.”

The civil rights leader, who died at 84, became the first major Black candidate for US president in 1984 and 1988.

“For older generations, it is personal grief: many remember Jackson marching with King, standing on the balcony in Memphis, leading Operation Breadbasket and Operation PUSH, and negotiating on behalf of Black workers, students, and voters,” said Jacqueline Hill, President of the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch.

“For younger Black activists, he is a complex elder: someone who helped normalize Black presidential candidates and pushed corporate America to hire and invest in Black communities, while also facing criticism and controversy; his death invites a reevaluation of that legacy,” Hill said.

Pittsburgh council member Khari Mosley says Jackson’s legacy will be rooted in his humanitarian efforts. In a statement, Mosley wrote:

“Through his heartfelt humanitarianism, staunch advocacy for voting rights, and unyielding devotion to challenge discrimination wherever it reared its ugly head, his legacy will live among the giants whose commitment, sacrifice, and social conscience made our world fairer, more just, and more equitable. In the moment we are in, the example he and so many of his contemporaries set provides us with a blueprint for continuing the noble work they started.”

Gil Berry of West Elizabeth remembers the first time he met the Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1991, introduced through a mutual friend. Berry says he asked Jackson to come to the Mon Valley in the 1990’s and speak with students.

“I wanted them to see a real living legend like Jesse talk to people about drugs and teen pregnancy and he agreed to come,” Berry said.

On a day of reflection, Berry says Jackson’s legacy will live on in Pittsburgh and beyond.

“You have to carry on. No matter what. You have to get people out to vote. You gotta tell young people about the stories of the struggle,” said Berry. “That’s what young people gotta realize. We can’t give up.”

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