Jesse Jackson had strong connections to DC; held local public office
The late Rev. Jesse Jackson had a national profile as a civil rights activist, but for years he also had a major presence in D.C. that included serving as the District’s shadow senator in the 1990s.
The position was created in 1990 and Jackson received more than 100,000 votes for a position that didn’t have a vote in Congress, but was designed to strengthen D.C.’s push for statehood.
Jackson was sworn into the office in 1991, the same year that Eleanor Holmes Norton was sworn in for her first term as D.C. Delegate.
Norton appeared with Jackson at numerous events and praised him in a statement released on Tuesday, after his death was announced. Jackson was 84.
“In his years representing the District, Rev. Jackson stood firmly for D.C. statehood and full self-governance,” Norton said. “His work built bridges across race, class and geography, helping redefine what inclusive democracy could look like in America.”
Norton recently announced she will not seek reelection after 35 years in office, another sign of a passing political era.
Maryland lawmaker fondly remembers campaigning with Jackson
Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Democrat who represents Maryland’s 4th congressional district, said he saw Jackson in action during the reverend’s 1988 presidential run.
Ivey was working for Michigan Rep. John Conyers and they went to Michigan to help with the Jackson campaign.
He said Jackson was a “brilliant campaigner” and “brilliant orator.”
“He could go from speaking to a group of high school students and mesmerize them, and go immediately to a group of white business owners downtown at the Economic Club and mesmerize them,” Ivey said in an interview with WTOP.
“He just had the ability to really reach every kind of audience, even frankly, when a lot of the people in the audience disagreed with what he was saying or wanted to do,” Ivey said.
Jackson won the Michigan presidential caucus, which made him the first Black candidate ever to win a presidential caucus or primary.
Ivey noted it was a “high water mark” for the Jackson campaign and said it was fun to be a part of that political history.
Ivey also noted that Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition ultimately grew into part of the Democratic Party strategy to include a wide range of American voters.
He also said Jackson “sort of took off the table the idea that African Americans could never be elected to the White House.”
Ivey called Jackson “a dynamic, charismatic figure.”
Jackson’s ties to Ben’s Chili Bowl
Like many prominent black political leaders and celebrities, Jackson loved Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street.
He was added to the eatery’s famous mural in 2018, during a celebration of its 60th anniversary.
Jackson frequented Ben’s Chili Bowl often over the years.
He attended a celebration of the eatery in 2013, pumping up the crowd as he did for many years on the campaign trail.
“Keep hope alive,” he thundered. “Good chili, good hot dogs, good grits! Let me hear you scream.”
It was a moment that briefly recalled the many years that Jackson seemed to be everywhere at once.
Ben’s Chili Bowl posted a message on X on Tuesday in honor of Jackson, calling him a “dear friend.”
“He shared wisdom at our tables, laughter in our dining room, and unwavering love for our community,” the post said. “We are forever grateful for his life’s dedication to justice, equality, and opportunity for all.”