By Bianca Flowers, Kat Stafford and Disha Raychaudhuri
Feb 18 (Reuters) - Among an outpouring of tributes following the death of U.S. civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, rights advocates vowed to continue his fight for racial justice and an inclusive democracy amid escalating attacks on diversity efforts.
Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84, helped lead the nation's civil rights movement after the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., spending more than half a century working to dismantle
segregationist systems and broaden political participation for Black Americans and other marginalized communities.
But diversity and civil rights initiatives in the U.S. are facing increasing pressure from President Donald Trump’s administration.
The administration has curbed diversity programs and policies and targeted museum and educational content on slavery that it deems "anti-American." It has also supported restoring monuments honoring the Confederate South, such as memorials to leaders who fought to preserve slavery in the American Civil War. Advocates warn the steps could erase decades of progress.
In a dozen interviews, civil rights leaders and experts cautioned that Jackson’s vision of a multiracial American democracy was at risk amid strained race relations and a sharply divisive political climate.
"We're in a moment where the fabric and the social compact of America, which included rights, could be unraveled and we could be on the brink of a long period of division and hate in America," said National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial.
"The last 60 to 70 years have been about building this multicultural, multiracial democracy in America and we're in a period of danger."
Trump, who posted condolences and several photos of himself with Jackson on Truth Social hours after the civil rights leader's death, said he "was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and 'street smarts'," and described him as a "force of nature."
Asked to comment on Jackson's death, the White House referred to Trump's Truth Social post. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the rollback of diversity initiatives.
HONORING JACKSON'S LEGACY
Jackson, who twice sought the Democratic presidential nomination, was known for his charismatic ability to translate movement energy into electoral muscle - from registering millions of new voters through his National Rainbow Coalition to standing on the front lines of racial justice advocacy.
Advocates said that political prowess remains necessary today.
Areva Martin, a civil rights attorney and Democratic political analyst, said it was important to honor Jackson's legacy through organizing and continuing to fight for civil and voting rights in the face of the Trump administration's diversity, equity and inclusion rollbacks, aggressive immigration tactics and challenges to landmark civil rights legislation, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed voting discrimination nationwide.
"We need to pick up the mantle," Martin said. "If Jesse Jackson were able-bodied he would have been out across the country organizing voters and building coalitions. He would know that's the only way to fight to win back Congress and reverse the damage done by this administration."
Grassroots activists have sounded the alarm on heavy-handed immigration enforcement tactics and raids in Democratic cities, targeting Black and brown communities in a way that advocates say is being used to suppress the voting power of immigrant communities.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in honor of Jackson's legacy, the civil rights organization will double down on its outreach efforts ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections, noting several voting rights lawsuits targeting alleged voter disenfranchisement and voter registration outreach.
"Jesse Jackson is American history," Johnson said. "His legacy demonstrates how one can use their voice and a platform to advance interest in causes that are pro-democracy, pro-America and pro-bringing people together."
The Movement for Black Lives, which helped power the 2020 racial justice protest movement, said it plans to carry forward Jackson's legacy of electoral engagement.
The organization is building nationwide rapid-response "community care networks," which it has already mobilized to provide food and other resources in at least seven locations amid ongoing federal immigration enforcement efforts.
"He had the audacity - from his presidential run, being that Black left voice and being unapologetic about the need for us to form coalitions and engage with systems," said Dr. Amara Enyia, co-executive director of the movement.
Jackson founded the Chicago-based civil rights groups Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition, which became the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Ziff Sistrunk, a 70-year-old Chicago resident, has long attended free Saturday morning breakfasts at the organization's headquarters that blend fellowship with civic engagement.
“Jackson showed us how to resist, he showed us how to protest and how to be a statesman," Sistrunk said. "All we have to do for the next generation who want to make changes is use his life as an example.”
(Reporting by Bianca Flowers, Kat Stafford and Disha Raychaudhuri; Editing by Nia Williams)
