Keep Hope Alive

It is with profound sorrow that Community Renewal Society (CRS) mourns the passing of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., a civil rights leader, movement builder, and prophetic witness whose life reshaped our nation. We share CRS Manager of Development & Communications Franchelle Brown’s statement: 

Rev. Jackson was born and raised in South Carolina, forged by the faith, struggle, and resilience of the Black South. Like so many before and after him, he followed a call that carried him north to Chicago, bringing with him courage through adversity and a commitment to justice that refused to be sat or silenced.

Rev. Jackson’s life reflects a familiar story, one of being rooted in the South, then moving forward to the North, still carrying our history, our hope, and our responsibility into new places. The path he helped carve made it possible for so many of us to follow, to arrive in Chicago with a mission in our hearts, and to labor faithfully in the work of justice, organizing, and public witness.

As founder and longtime leader of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and as a trusted partner in the work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Jackson embodied a faith that spoke truth to power and called people into Beloved Community.

Even as we lament his passing, we give thanks for the legacy he leaves. His enduring call to “keep hope alive” continues to guide the clergy, organizers, and movement leaders striving to transform unjust systems and to build a more faithful democracy.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of CRS, I extend my deepest prayers and condolences to the Jackson family, Rainbow PUSH, and all who were shaped by Rev. Jackson’s leadership. May we honor his memory with renewed commitment to the work he so faithfully advanced.