My mother, Coretta Scott King, is Black history.
She was more than the wife of my father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She was the founder of The King Center, a global peacemaker, and a steadfast architect of justice. Her courage, discipline, and unwavering commitment to nonviolence helped carry the Movement forward and expand its reach around the world.
Black history is not only something we study. It is something we live, protect, and continue.
#CorettaScottKing #BlackHistoryMonth #MLK #BelovedCommunity #TheKingCenter
New York, NY (February 17, 2026) - โToday, I lost the man who first called me into purpose when I was just twelve years old. And our nation lost one of its greatest moral voices. The Reverend Dr. Jesse Louis Jackson was not simply a civil rights leader; he was a movement unto himself. He carried history in his footsteps and hope in his voice. One of the greatest honors of my life was learning at his side. He reminded me that faith without action is just noise. He taught me that protest must have purpose, that faith must have feet, and that justice is not seasonal, it is daily work. In 1969, when I was still a teenager trying to find my place in this struggle, Rev. Jackson appointed me youth director of the Brooklyn branch of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He trusted me with responsibility and saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself. That is the measure of a true mentor: they do not just teach you; they name you.
He later named the headquarters of National Action Network โThe House of Justice,โ a reminder that movements must be anchored in moral purpose. Through Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition, he expanded the political imagination of this nation. He ran for President not because it was easy, but because he believed America could be better than its history. In doing so, he opened doors that many of us, me included, who followed in his footsteps and ran for President. But to me, he was more than a public figure. He was Godfather to my two daughters. He prayed over them as infants. He spoke life into them as young girls. We stood in his home not as a headline, but as family. He taught them, and me, that trying is as important as triumph. That you do not wait for the dream to come true; you work to make it real. Because of him, I learned that leadership is not about being seen, it is about seeing others. Because of him, I learned that our lives mean the most when they are spent widening the circle of who belongsโฆโ - Full statement via https://t.co/tfnBzUm2sE
#RIPRevJesseJackson
Reverend Jesse Jackson was one of Americaโs greatest patriots. He spent his life summoning all of us to fulfill the promise of America and building the coalitions to make that promise real.
A son of Greenville, South Carolina, Reverend Jackson first rose to the national stage as one of the young leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. His presidential runs in 1984 and 1988 electrified millions of Americans and showed them what could be possible. From Washington, DC to the Bay Area, from the Mississippi Delta to Appalachia, from South Africa to the South Side of Chicago, Reverend Jackson gave a voice to people who were removed from power and politics. He let us know our voices mattered. He instilled in us that we were somebody. And he widened the path for generations to follow in his footsteps and lead.
As a young law student, I would drive back and forth from Oakland, where I lived, to San Francisco, where I went to school. I had a bumper sticker in the back window of my car that read: โJesse Jackson for President.โ As I would drive across the Bay Bridge, you would not believe how people from every walk of life would give me a thumbs up or honk of support. They were small interactions, but they exemplified Reverend Jacksonโs life work โ lifting up the dignity of working people, building community and coalitions, and strengthening our democracy and nation. I was proud to partner with and learn from him on this work throughout my career, and I am so grateful for the time we spent together this January. Reverend Jackson was a selfless leader, mentor, and friend to me and so many others.
Doug and I are praying for Jacqueline, their children and grandchildren, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and the millions of people across our country and around the world whose lives he impacted. Today and every day, we will carry forward his call to โKeep hope alive.โ
I donโt know who needs to hear Jesse Jackson leading the kids on Sesame Street in this beautiful call-and-response reminding them that every child is somebody, but here it is
Reverend Jackson never stopped working for a better America with brighter tomorrows. Hillaryโs and my full statement on the passing of our dear friend:
Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of a true giant, the Reverend Jesse Jackson. We will always be grateful for Jesse's lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders. We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him.