Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon, dies at 84
NBC3 days
Jesse Jackson shattered old ceilings and rewired politics. The Rainbow Coalition proved that a multiracial working-class movement could set the Democratic agenda, expand voting and win leverage — from primary rules to policy. Legacy: moral courage at home and abroad, freeing hostages, fighting apartheid and inspiring Obama and Harris.
Jesse Jackson’s legacy leans more show than substance. The Hymietown slur, a disputed claim about holding King and relentless spotlight-seeking eroded moral authority, and two presidential runs delivered slogans, not leadership. Progress flowed from broader coalitions and institutions, not one politician’s brand.
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