The Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks on a radio broadcast from the headquarters of Operation PUSH, [People United to Save Humanity] at its annual convention. July 1973. |Source=Photo by [[:en:John H White (photojournalist)|John H. John H. White, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Remembering & Celebrating: Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
This Black History Month, we give thanks to God for the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. who died at the age of 84 on February 17, 2026. If you've ever heard educators or seminarians say the word "praxis"—know that it's just a fancy way of saying "putting your faith (or thoughts) into action." Well, Rev. Jackson is blueprint for that. He didn't just stay behind the pulpit; he took the Gospel into the streets, the boardrooms, and even onto the presidential stage. Keeping the Hope Alive Rev. Jackson’s life serves as a powerful reminder that our identity is rooted in our Creator. He is remembered as lifting up the chant: **"I am somebody! I may be poor, but I am somebody! I may be on welfare, but I am somebody! I am God’s child!"** Today, we thank God for the life, the labor, and the longevity of Rev. Jesse Jackson. May we carry his mantle of resilience and continue to keep hope alive in our homes, our church, and our community. |
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Lord Jesus Christ,
You walked between communities, crossing boundaries, reaching hearts and minds in compassion, in mercy. You confronted injustice with courage and grace, breaking down barriers and turning over tables. May we be inspired and empowered to do the same, and, in meeting the challenges of racism and bigotry, may we overturn it and uproot it in ourselves, in our communities, and in our society. All this is for Your glory and in Your power. Amen. Love Your Neighbor: Racial Justice Sunday (8/2/2026), Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, page 9 Re-printed from Discipleship Ministries Praying for Change: Daily Prayers for Anti-Racism daily prayer 2/17/2026 |
Scene from Nashville Civil Rights protests, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54246 [retrieved February 14, 2026]. Original source: Vanderbilt University Special Collections.
Scene from Nashville Civil Rights protests
Undeniably throughout the Civil Rights movement, those who were arrested and put on trial for their non-violent actions of civil disobedience were operating on a new paradigm. This paradigm was informed by faith in such a way that it continued the steps towards freedom and justice for all. Rev. Dr. James Lawson (who began nonviolent workshops before sit-ins erupted) states in his SNCC Speech in February of 1960, “the choice of the non-violent method, ‘the sit-in,’ symbolizes both judgment and promise. It is a judgment upon middle class conventional, halfway efforts to deal with radical social evil….But the sit-in is likewise a sign of promise: God’s promise that if radically Christian methods are adopted the rate of change can be vastly increased.” |
Scene from Nashville Civil Rights protests, continued:
In an interview with John Lewis about the Nashville Sit-ins in 1960s Tennessee, he's quoted: "The underlying philosophy was the whole idea of redemptive suffering — suffering that in itself might help to redeem the larger society. We talked in terms of our goal, our dream, being the beloved community, the open society, the society that is at peace with itself, where you forget about race and color and see people as human beings. We dealt a great deal with the question of the means and ends. If we wanted to create the beloved community, then the methods must be those of love and peace. So somehow the ends must be caught up in the means. And I think people understood that... In the black church, ministers have a tendency to compare the plight of black people with the children of Israel. I think we saw ourselves as being caught up in some type of holy crusade, with the music and the mass meetings, with nothing on our side but a dream and just daring faith. ... I tell you the truth, I really felt that I was part of a crusade. There was something righteous about it. " As if inspired by Isaiah 43:16-21, these young leaders believed in and walked in the promises of God's word: “I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” -- Isaiah 43:19. *Also, pictured is civil rights activist Diane Nash -a devout catholic who prior to her justice ministry desired to be a nun-was awarded the presidential medal of freedom in 2022. She attended Rev. Dr. Lawson's nonviolent workshops and inspired the Nashville Civil Rights protests as a leader of the Nashville Student Movement. |
Honoring Black History Month from GCORR
From the General Commission on Religion & Race (GCORR)
For United Methodists, the calling is clearly stated in Article V: Racial Justice of the Book of Discipline:
We commit to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large...
With that, we invite you to join us in the Racial Justice Prayers of Hope.
For GCORR, Black History Month is a time to honor the enduring contributions of Black people and communities in the making of the United States of America as well as to commit to shaping the country’s future towards one of inclusion, equity, and justice.
Our resources for local churches and individuals alike include book lists for Children, Adults, and Congregations, stories of Black United Methodist leaders such as Clara Ester and James Lawson, and the online course, “Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm: The History of Anti-Black Racism in The Church.”
For United Methodists, the calling is clearly stated in Article V: Racial Justice of the Book of Discipline:
We commit to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large...
With that, we invite you to join us in the Racial Justice Prayers of Hope.
For GCORR, Black History Month is a time to honor the enduring contributions of Black people and communities in the making of the United States of America as well as to commit to shaping the country’s future towards one of inclusion, equity, and justice.
Our resources for local churches and individuals alike include book lists for Children, Adults, and Congregations, stories of Black United Methodist leaders such as Clara Ester and James Lawson, and the online course, “Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm: The History of Anti-Black Racism in The Church.”
Black History Presentation-August 2023 United Methodist Men
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