Watch Rev. Jesse Jackson's Homegoing Service Live
The nation is saying goodbye to Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. today, and you can watch every moment from home.
How to Watch
When: 11 a.m. CT / 12 p.m. ET, Friday, March 6 | Where: House of Hope, 752 E. 114th St., Chicago and also live on Youtube below.
A private service is also scheduled for Saturday, March 7 at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters, featuring a special tribute from Stevie Wonder, followed by a procession to Oak Woods Cemetery.
Former Presidents Obama, Clinton, and Biden will all attend, along with former VP Kamala Harris, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Gov. JB Pritzker, Rep. Maxine Waters, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Judge Greg Mathis. Jennifer Hudson and gospel legends BeBe and Marvin Winans will perform.
Born in Greenville, South Carolina in 1941, Jesse Jackson came of age during the Civil Rights Movement and became one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s most visible lieutenants. He was present at the Lorraine Motel the night King was assassinated — a moment that shaped the rest of his life.
He founded Operation PUSH in 1971 and later the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, becoming a fierce national advocate for Black education, criminal justice reform, and economic equity. His rallying cry — "I am somebody" — became an anthem for a generation. In 1984 and 1988, he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, reshaping American politics and proving the power of the Black vote on a national stage. He also served as an unofficial diplomat, negotiating the release of American hostages in Cuba, Syria, and Yugoslavia.
Rev. Jackson passed away in February 2026 at age 84 after a battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurological condition related to Parkinson's disease. He was diagnosed in April 2023.
