Reflecting on the Legacy of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

As the nation marks the passing of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., leaders across law, civil rights, and public life are reflecting on a figure whose life helped define modern American leadership and civic engagement.

For Ashley L. Upkins, President of the National Bar Association, Rev. Jackson’s legacy offers a lasting framework for understanding credibility, trust, and leadership at a moment when all three feel increasingly fragile.

“As we prepare to gather for an important conversation on credibility and leadership, I will reflect on the life and legacy of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., a leader who understood that trust is earned through courage, consistency, and conviction,” Upkins said. “His life reminds us that leadership is not about comfort. It is about commitment.”

Rev. Jackson was a defining figure in American history. He marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stood at the center of the civil rights movement’s most consequential moments, and carried its mission forward across decades of political and social change. Through the founding of Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition, the expansion of Black voter registration nationwide, and his historic presidential campaigns, Rev. Jackson reshaped coalition politics and broadened the nation’s understanding of civic participation.

His life traced a remarkable American arc, from the urgency of the civil rights era to moments of political progress many once believed impossible. Across that span, Rev. Jackson demonstrated a form of leadership rooted not in rhetoric alone, but in sustained organizing, negotiation, and accountability.

“At a time when public trust feels fragile and our media landscape is fractured, his example is both grounding and urgent,” Upkins said. “Rev. Jackson showed us that credibility is forged through action, not convenience.”

For the National Bar Association, founded in 1925 as the nation’s oldest and largest network of Black legal professionals, Rev. Jackson’s legacy resonates deeply. The organization has long operated at the intersection of law, civil rights, and public accountability, advocating for voting rights, access to justice, and democratic participation. Those priorities closely align with the principles that guided Rev. Jackson’s life’s work.

“Rev. Jackson believed that progress requires participation,” Upkins added. “As lawyers, as leaders, and as communicators, we carry forward that responsibility to defend constitutional principles and to lead with clarity even when the noise is loud.”

Upkins will reflect on Rev. Jackson’s legacy during the upcoming national virtual forum, Leading with Credibility in a Fractured Media World, hosted by CommPRO, Capitol Communicator, and the Diversity Action Alliance on February 24. The forum will feature a conversation with James E. Clyburn and podcast host Michael Zeldin, examining leadership, trust, and credibility in today’s communications environment.

While the discussion looks forward, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.’s life remains a powerful reminder that credible leadership is built over time through resolve, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to justice.