Civil Rights Icon Rev. Jesse Jackson Returns to SC for Final Honors

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. has returned to his home state for one last tribute: lying in state at the South Carolina Capitol. This poignant farewell is a testament to his tireless fight for equality and justice throughout his illustrious career. Born in Greenville, S.C., Jackson's journey began in a segregated community where he defied the status quo by leading a group of Black high school students into a whites-only library branch in 1960. The bold move led to the desegregation of the library and ignited a lifelong crusade for equality. Jackson's activism caught the attention of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., and he joined King's historic voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. After King's assassination, Jackson became a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement, advocating for voting rights, job opportunities, education, and healthcare for the marginalized. Through his Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Jackson pressured corporate leaders to promote diversity and inclusion, and he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination twice. In his later years, he continued to push for progress in his home state, including advocating for the removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Statehouse grounds. As the second Black man to lie in state at the South Carolina Capitol, Jackson's legacy will be honored by the state where he was born. His body will lie in repose at the Capitol on Monday, followed by a celebration of life in Chicago and a final homegoing service at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters. Plans for a service in Washington, D.C., will be rescheduled for a later date. Throughout his life, Jackson remained committed to fighting for the rights of the poor and underrepresented. His diplomatic efforts with world leaders and his tireless advocacy for social justice have left an indelible mark on American history.