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Former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton are among the prominent guests Friday paying tribute to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson at his memorial service in Chicago.
Hundreds of people were seen lined up earlier Friday morning to enter the 10,000-seat House of Hope arena for the event remembering the longtime civil rights leader, two-time Democratic presidential candidate and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rev. Al Sharpton and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are some of the other notable attendees.
President Donald Trump, who is not attending the event, said on Feb. 17 following the 84-year-old’s death that he knew Jackson “well” and described him as “a good man.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden attend a public memorial service to celebrate the life of civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson in Chicago, Ill., on March 6, 2026. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
The three former Democratic presidents, who are each scheduled to speak at the event, were met with cheers as they entered the House of Hope on Friday.
On the day of his death, Jackson’s family said, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr.”
VANCE, HARRIS, OBAMA ISSUE TRIBUTES TO REV JESSE JACKSON
People gather for a memorial service for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson at the House of Hope in Chicago, on Friday, March 6, 2026. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
“He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family,” said a statement from Jackson’s family.
Former President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton arrive at a memorial service for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson at the House of Hope in Chicago, on Friday, March 6, 2026. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)
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“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family added. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions.”
’ Patrick McGovern and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
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