Illinois AFL-CIO Remembers Civil Rights Leader Rev. Jesse Jackson

The Illinois labor movement mourns the passing of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure in Illinois and Chicago politics whose lifelong commitment to the labor and civil rights movements leaves an enduring legacy.

Throughout his life, Rev. Jackson fought tirelessly for working people in Chicago, across Illinois, and throughout the country. He walked picket lines, stood with workers at the bargaining table, and championed the inclusion of women and people of color in the protections and promise of union membership.  He reminded us that the fight for good jobs, living wages, and the right to organize is inseparable from the broader struggle for justice and equality.

In his speech, “From A Tradition of Marching for Jobs and Rights,” delivered during his 1988 Presidential bid, Jackson said: “the American worker is not asking for welfare, he’s asking for a fair share—not for charity but for parity.”

Rev. Jackson’s words continue to resonate today, and we owe him our gratitude for his years of advocacy and fighting for a better world. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Jackson family, and all those who are mourning this profound loss.

Together, we can honor his life by carrying forward his work as we fight for equality, fairness, dignity, and respect in every workplace.