Local News

Rev. Jesse Jackson funeral speakers to include former Presidents Biden, Obama, and Clinton at House of Hope in Chicago

By Noel Brennan, Jermont Terry

/ CBS Chicago

Rev. Jesse Jackson funeral set for House of Hope in Chicago

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden will be among the speakers at the public celebration of life for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson on Friday at the House of Hope on the Far South Side of Chicago.

Other speakers will include Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Rev. Al Sharpton, Judge Greg Mathis, Rev. Otis Moss III, Rev. Michael Pfleger, Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, Rabbi Sharon Brous, and businessman James Reynolds.

The memorial will be officiated by Dr. Charles Jenkins and Rev. James Meeks, and also will include musical performances by gospel singers LeAndria Johnson, Bebe Winans and Pastor Marvin Winans, and Marvin Sapp and Hezekiah Walker.

Former First Lady Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also will attend the memorial.  

Music legend Stevie Wonder will perform a special musical tribute for Saturday's private homegoing service for Jackson, along with other musicians.

Final preparations for Friday's public celebration of life for Jackson were underway on Thursday at the House of Hope, where organizers will welcome thousands of people to pay tribute to the civil rights icon.

Inside House of Hope on Thursday, teams of florists were working on flower arrangements, crews were mopping the floors and shining the windows, and huge banners featuring photos of Jackson were set up in the lobby.

The arena has room for 10,000 people. Former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton will attend alongside dozens of elected officials.

The memorial also will include a number of religious leaders and performances from entertainers like Jennifer Hudson.

Merry Green, owner of MGPG Events, is in charge of hospitality for Rev. Jackson's celebration of life. She said she knew Jackson well and she'll always remember how much he genuinely cared for others.

"Yeah, he wanted to find out how's it going. That's the first question he would ask. 'How's your events going? How's this going? How's that going? How's your family?' He always cared more than about himself, and I think that's what most people know about him and feel about him," she said.

The service starts at 11 a.m. Friday, but doors will open at 9 a.m. Visitors can enter through Gate 4, and will have to go through security screenings and metal detectors. Officials asked visitors to bring only small bags or purses.

A private homegoing celebration for Jackson will be held on Saturday at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Kenwood.

As Rev. Jesse Jackson's funeral approaches, Rainbow PUSH moves forward with his mission

Rainbow PUSH Coalition to help mark anniversary of Selma  voting rights march

As the preparations were underway at House of Hope, celebrations of Jackson's life continued at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters, where Jackson's fraternity brothers honored him and the civil rights organization he founded carried on his mission even in grief.

Buses lined the streets outside Operation PUSH as dozens of people prepared to take a journey to Selma, Alabama, to commemorate a dark day in U.S. history.

On March 7, 1965, state troops turned on Black peaceful protesters as they marched across the Pettus Bridge from Selma to Birmingham for voting rights.

Seventeen people were hospitalized and dozens more were treated for injuries suffered on "Bloody Sunday."

"My uncle was one that was bitten by the dogs," said Maureen Forte, whose uncle, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, helped organize the march from Selma to Montgomery.

Since then, Forte has often walked that bridge, often with Jackson at her side, including last year.

Over the years, Jackson made it a point to come to the bridge, even when he couldn't walk and had to be wheeled across, but this year is different.

"People don't realize this is not a moment, it's a movement, and we are the movement," Forte said.

As PUSH and the Jackson family prepared for memorial services for the civil rights icon, PUSH leaders recalled Jackson's own words.

"He's always encouraged us to take the mission forward," said Rev. Janette Wilson, a senior advisor for Jackson.

By stepping on the buses bound for Selma, the men and women traveling to mark the anniversary of "Bloody Sunday" move forward with Rainbow PUSH's mission.

"Even though we're celebrating the life of Reverend Jackson, his life was about his mission for voting rights," Wilson said.

Thursday night, members of the Omega Phi Psi fraternity also took time to reflect on Jackson's life.  Dressed in black suits and the fraternity's signature purple color, members known as "Ques" honored one of their most distinguished brothers. Jackson was a "Que" until the end. 

How to watch Rev. Jesse Jackson's funeral

CBS News Chicago will be providing live coverage of Jackson's public funeral Friday and private services Saturday.

Friday:

Saturday:

Note: Streaming plans are subject to change.

© 2026 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.