Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. saluted for 35 years of leadership

Jet, March 25, 1996

The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. was honored recently for his 35 years of leadership and public service during a gala tribute in Chicago.

The guests, which included ministers, educators, politicians and fellow civil rights leaders, came to tell Jackson 'we love you' and "we need you more now than ever."

The tribute held at Chicago's Hyatt Regency was one of the highlights of the recent National Rainbow Coalition/citizenship Education Fund's successful "Target 96: Reclaiming Democracy and Justice" annual conference.

Among those on hand for the gala salute were: Dr. Samuel D. Proctor, noted theologian-educator and civil rights activist who delivered the keynote address; Kweisi Mfume, president and CEO of the NAACP; South African Ambassador Franklin Sonn; Rep. John Conyers; Rev. Al Sharpton; Rev. Clay Evans; Rep. Martin Frost; Rep. Cleo Fields; TV and radio personality Casey Kasem; and Pev. Willie Barrow, chairman of the board, Operation PUSH.

Superstar Anita Baker gave a soul-stirring performance in honor of Jackson.

Dr. Proctor, who is Jackson's mentor, father figure and professor emeritus at Rutgers University and pastor emeritus of the famed Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, NY, recalled the work and compassion of Jackson over the last 35 years.

He compared Jackson to the Biblical prophet Isaiah who was always upbeat and optimistic. Proctor said, Jesse has been that kind of an upbeat prophet through all of these years. He has managed to see somehow hope and promise." Proctor, who is the author of the new critically acclaimed book The Substance Of Things Hoped For: A Memoir Of African-American Faith, also praised Jackson as a leader who knows how to get solutions to world problems. "Jesse reminds me of a person who is not content with all of the 'whereas;' he's the kind of person who wants to hurry up and get to the 'therefores.' Jesse has the courage, he has the intellectual agility, the infallible energy to move from 'whereas' to 'therefore' and call us to action."

Proctor told Jackson during his eloquent address: "Come forth now and show us the way to November 1996."

Proctor, who was president of North Carolina A&T State University when Jackson was a student there, added: "You can say whatever you want to say about Jesse Jackson, but as I have always told my friends, Jesse has been right all the time. Every time you see him involved in an issue, he's on the side of it. He's on the right side of compassion."

Rev. Barrow praised Jackson, who founded the National Rainbow Coalition in Washington, D.C., as well as Operation PUSH in Chicago.

"He's my friend; he's my brother; he's my son; he's my mentor; he's my personal trainer," she said.

She likened Jackson's formula for success to an old Chinese proverb. "'Go to the people; live among them, learn from them, love them, serve them, plan with them. Start with what they know, build on what they have and you and the people will succeed.'"

Mfume praised the famed leader and described him as 'a stalwart in the storm, one who stood steady and steadfast throughout it all. And no matter how long the journey, cold the chill, fierce the enemy or few the friends, he was the one who captured our will to be different and our will to dare to make a difference. He reminded us that we are, in fact, somebody."

Ambassador Sonn cited Jackson's work in helping wipe out apartheid in South Africa and his efforts in Nelson Mandela's election as the country's first Black president. "Thank you Jesse Jackson for the example you set. Thank you for the sacrifices that you made on our behalf. Thank you for inspiring us to know that we would overcome."

Rep. John Conyers noted that Jackson is needed to fight the Republican-dominated Congress which is threatening to dismantle affirmative action programs. "The genius of Jesse Jackson is well known," he said. "We have a Congress that is totally out of control ... We have a challenge that has never been put before us in this way." He stressed, Jesse, we need you more now than we've ever needed you."

Mrs. Coretta Scott King, widow of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., sent a letter celebrating Jackson's longtime commitment to justice. "I want to express my heartfelt support of this richly deserved tribute to you and your great contributions in leadership," Mrs. King wrote. "You and your family have demonstrated a deep commitment to carrying forward Martin Luther King, Jr.'s unfinished work and fulfilling his dream as an eloquent champion of social, economic and political empowerment for minority and poor people of all races ......

Jackson thanked the crowd for their support and promised to continue his compassionate leadership and fight for justice.

The following day, Jackson delivered his president's address and vowed to work diligently to reclaim the Congress and call for a national urban policy agenda.

"The most important issue of our time, the biggest crises, are largely ignored in our national debate," Jackson said. "The politicians are not shutting down the federal government on behalf of the locked out, or the least of these, or those working families having in fear and under threat of violence. We need a new freedom movement."