07/23/2025
A Divine Moment in Chicago: Rev. Jesse Jackson Honored at the 64th PNBC Annual Session
The atmosphere inside the Progressive National Baptist Convention’s 64th Annual Session shifted the moment Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. entered the room. What began as a historic gathering quickly became a sacred moment, as attendees rose to their feet in reverence — not just for a man, but for a movement.
His presence moved the people. Some wept. Others stood silently in awe. All understood they were witnessing history — not written in pages, but embodied in a man who has lived the struggle and carried the torch for over seven decades.
Born in Greenville, South Carolina, and ordained by the late Rev. Clay Evans, Rev. Jackson is a global figure — a civil rights activist, Baptist minister, founder of Operation PUSH and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most trusted lieutenants during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
Over the last forty years, he has fought for justice, equality, and peace, advocating for the marginalized, the silenced, and the forgotten. Whether organizing boycotts, leading voter registration drives, or negotiating on the global stage, his mission has remained unwavering: to speak truth to power and call America to its better self.
And now, in the city of Chicago — the home base of his work and ministry — Rev. Jackson stood before a new generation of prophetic leaders, including PNBC President Rev. Dr. David Peoples, who embraced him as a brother, a father, and a living witness.
“The Progressive National Baptist Convention has always stood at the intersection of the pulpit and protest,” Dr. Peoples declared.
“And today, as we honor Rev. Jackson, we are reminded that our work is not finished. We must continue to speak truth to power, to lift up the marginalized, and to keep faith at the center of our movement.”
Rev. Jackson’s presence was more than ceremonial — it was transformational. It reignited the room with purpose and reminded the entire PNBC family of why this work matters, especially for people of color and communities on the margins.
His life’s story — from desegregating public spaces in South Carolina to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom — is woven into the fabric of America’s ongoing fight for justice. He has stood with Nelson Mandela in South Africa, been appointed as a U.S. Special Envoy to promote democracy in Africa, and educated countless through speeches, lectures, and advocacy around the world.
And yet, on this day, his presence in a room full of pastors, youth, elders, and church leaders felt deeply personal. It was a homecoming, a passing of the mantle, and a prophetic reminder that we are not done yet.
As PNBC continues to push forward — in the streets and in the sanctuary — we carry with us the legacy of giants like Rev. Jackson. Not just their memory, but their mission.
“We are not just gathering,” Dr. Peoples reminded us,
“We are marching forward. Together.” Photo by Landon Brooks MAWH PRODUCTIONS
