Hey there, folks.
It is Tuesday, February seventeenth, and keep hope alive. We are just getting word as we come on this morning, that Reverend Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon, has passed away at the age of eighty four. Welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. Recording this one a little early. We are early risers, and when we first got up at three four am, we didn't see this news. But it just did break a short time ago, and we wanted to hop on and give you the update.
But ropes just first reaction.
When you hear Reverend Jesse Jackson has passed away at eighty four.
I mean it sounds almost cliche to say the passing of a legend, but a civil rights icon, a change agent, someone who fought for justice in the face of incredible adversity and fear. I would add, yes, all of the above, A game changer in the civil rights movement.
Yes, And so officially we don't know the official cause of death. They haven't said this morning, but we did get an extended statement from his family. We know he had had some health issues, various and serious over the past several years, but we do want to share the statement put out came through his organization, but sass some specific words in here, and it was kind of nice to hear.
I always loved to hear in.
These statements when you hear that they died surrounded by family.
Yes, that's isn't that the goal for all of us? At least I think it would be so. Yes, The family statement reads, he died peacefully on Tuesday.
Morning, surrounded by his family.
His unwavering commitment to justice, equality and human rights help shape a global movement for freedom and dignity. They said that our father was a servant leader, not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world. We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family.
His unwavering belief injustice, equality and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.
That's beautiful, yeah, and it's Look, he hasn't been out there, he hasn't been as active because of his health, but he has been a part of national politics in this country essentially since I was born and really got involved and became very mainstream. I guess in the eighties with his two presidential campaigns, we forget before Barack Obama, Jesse Jackson was legit. Now he was legit, not just some
fringe character doing this or that. He was a candidate that forced everybody to pay attention and is considered ropes. The first legitimate all loved to Cheirley Chisholm, but the first major party candidate who had a legitimid shot and he actually did well in those primaries.
Oh, yes, we were, we were coming up during those years. Jesse Jackson. He rose to incredible political prominence. And I was actually surprised because obviously we were kids while he was running for president. But to hear that he won in his first races is in nineteen eighty four more than eighteen percent of the primary vote, and then four years later he won eleven.
Primaries and caucuses. That is significant.
Yeah, but tons of candidates are in these races and don't do that. But this was a major party black candidate who in those back to back races you're talking, he picked up twenty percent of the primary vote and then thirty percent the next time around. He forced other candidates, obviously non minority candidates who pay attention to him because
he had a stronghold in the black community. Black folks were listening to him, liked him, supported him, trusted him, and they said, wait a minute, he is actually getting the votes we need to win. And he became a player in that way. And I think, ever to when you go back and think about eighty four to eighty eight, it explains two thousand and eight crying like a baby after Barack Obama had won in Chicago.
That's where that came from. His history paid.
Yeah, he paved the way. He paved the way.
If it weren't for his hard work, Barack Obama would not have become president.
Barack Obama.
Obviously, Barack Obama knows that and understands that. But you go back Robes and Plinny will remember, I guess he was treated. He had been treated for Parkinson's a couple of years before he actually made the public revelation. That was in twenty seventeen. I believe it was the end of that. I don't remember what some complicated issue.
He was hospitalized last year? What was that?
Yes, he was, he was hospitalized last year. And he actually has a condition that sounds horrific. It's called it's got an acronym. It is called I just wrote it down.
In addition to that, he also, as you're looking for that, that hospitalization, but he had he dealt with COVID as well, right going through the midst of all this, and that was a tough goal he had.
Yeah, he had.
It's called PSP, which is called progressive super nuclear palsy, and it affects your ability to walk and to swallow. I was reading about it just thinking that has that has got to be one of the more difficult ways to suffer as you are fighting other illnesses Parkinson's on top of that that that is a tough road. But he was a fighter through and through in so many ways in his life. But he was fighting till the very end physically for his health.
And I hadn't seen him in many, many years. But the last time I saw him with some event. Why do I think it was at the Museum of Modern History or the dinosaurs and all that. Yes, yes, sometimes I think it was there, But it was just he was a shell of this guy who I have known got shit for decades now and dealing with in the industry.
But he was just he was just weak. He couldn't remember a lot.
He still physically looked like because he's kind of an imposing, towering big guy. Still looked the same, but he sat. He just wasn't that Jesse Jackson was not there, and it was tough. It was tough to see. But you go back. This guy they called the son of South Carolina, right, he was from Greenville, but he grew up in the South, the Jim pro South, and he was molded by a
lot of that. Went to college, became an activist and joined Martin Luther King's movement Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and took off from there. Became an officer, one of the youngest officials they had, and got King's attention and was absolutely a King protege.
And he was there with him in Memphis when King was assassinated, right there, and wasn't deterred.
Can you, I mean, I just was.
You go through this movement, you feel the change that you're a part of, and then MLK Junior is assassinated right in front of you. A lot of people would cower, a lot of people would say hell no. He pushed on and went even further and took the movement further.
And there were some who criticized him to this day for like the only thing that his heart was always in the right place, and sometimes the ego got in the way of the heart because he did. He was an ambitious guy and he wanted to be the guy. These guys will tell you this, and the criticism is public and it's out there, for they say that's one thing that got in his way is that he just wanted it too badly, like he was putting himself at
the forefront. I'm now going to be the leader. And I had a civil rights leader tell me once the problem with Jesse is that he would have just relaxed. The people would have chosen him. He was too much in a hurry to just be the man. He wanted it too badly and forced himself onto it. He was perfectly positioned. They would have chosen him anyway, but he just forced his hand. I actually had someone tell me that once, but it's publicly. It's been out there, but
robes too. There are pictures out there of him standing on that balcony in the Lorraine Motel. He was, yes, nineteen sixty eight. He was there, So I think some people don't even realize that Jesse Jackson was not just some guy. He wasn't just some self promoted He wasn't just some presidential candidate.
He was an.
Og of this movement who has been there and was right there with Doka King all this time. So we don't have these guys anymore. Right, These are legends of an era, our civil rights leaders.
Now. I mean, we have Black Lives Matter.
We have Al Sharpton still around.
He's still kicking, right, He's still kicking in New York. That's the Action Network, right, and the Rainbow Push Coalition. They were competitors to a certain degree, but also they work together a lot.
You know, it's funny. So I told you this.
My very first assignment in college was to go to a Rainbow Push Coalition march in Atlanta, and that is where I met Jesse Jackson, who was so kind, and Al Sharpton together, first time, little white reporter from w uog Athen TV and I'm going over there, and they were both so kind, and it was just I was in awe that I was talking.
That was my first two interviews as a journalist.
Well stay here, folks, you are going to hear how the rest of Robot's experience with Reverend Jesse Jackson WYNT, and I'll also share some of my favorite moments with this icon over the years.
To hear.
All right, we continue here on Amy and TJ with the word just coming really moments before we hopped on and started recording that Reverend Jesse Jackson has passed away at the age of eighty four. Civil rights icon, two time presidential candidate, and one of the most influential figures in politics and civil rights era. They just don't make them like this anymore. Rope to think about him. I think about Sharpton, I think about Ambassador Young actuals we
already lost John Lewis. These are just guys I was around in Atlanta. They don't necessarily take you under their wing, but you're forced to pay attention and learn under their wing. It's Atlanta is a cool place in that regard for a young black man coming in you. You cannot come in there with an ego or think you're anything or anything special, because them dudes will put you in check so fast. They don't have to get in your face.
You just how am I as a twenty eight twenty nine year old seeing an anchor coming down.
I'm the man in Atlanta.
You get in a room with John Lewis, you, you sit down, you cowerd and you yes, sir, very quickly. So they were very and to your what you were just saying, they're robes. They are It's almost you can't separate these guys. You said the first time you ever ran Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpner was right there.
Yeah, no, it's true.
And it's funny because the first person I ran into obviously my dream, and I didn't think it was even possible to get to interview Reverend Jackson. But I saw this cute couple yelling boot Newt, Boot Newt because they were upset about Newt Gingrid Chess or the house at the time.
And uh, I said, I really. I said, hey, can I interview you too?
And he looked at me and he smiled and said, I bet you'd rather interview my dad. And I was like huh, And I was like, no, I actually just want to interview you too. I had no idea who it was. And he said, you sure you don't want to interview my dad? And I said, yeah, I'm pretty sure. I just want to interview you.
He's like okay, And I said, can I get your name and how to spell it?
He went, sure, Jesse Jackson Junior, I don't think you need me to spell it? And I bet you want me to go get my dad now.
And he did. He walked over, he brought Jesse over and he had it was my I remember my face turned bright red.
And then Jesse came over and Jesse Jackson came over and Al Sharpton was right there with him, and I got the two interviews right back to back, and they.
Were so kind.
They're like, what's your name? Who are you reporting from? Like, they were so kind, took so much time. I was this silly little twenty one year old Athens were your reporter, and they were so great and that was such a memorable moment.
Those are my first two official interviews he did.
He had a warmth, a kindness, but an intensity and everything he did he was I don't remember too many laughs. I shared with him over the interesting like crazy, but everybody has. There was a line I often use and post folks heard me quote and again, this is someone just in what we do robes. I've been with him countless occasion, countless hours over the years, including a trip to Tanzania with him for a for a week long summit out there. I'll speak on that and saying, but Rope,
you've heard me say this line before. Jesse's action is the one that told me that the only reason that black folks excel in sports is not because we're bigger, not because we're stronger, not because we're faster. He said, it's the one place where everybody has to play by the same rules. Wow, he said, you got a referee out there making sure that everybody you and you have
to play by the exact same rules. And see what happens when you put black folks in a position to where they have an even playing field, we could actually excel.
He told me that in Chicago at a Rainbow Push Coalition office.
To this day, I've never forgotten it because you look at I've gone through so many things in life and offices and then whatever, all these stories, But what happens if you even the playing.
Field for black folks, we excel.
And that story stuck with me forever, And I'm sure I was annoying as hell to him on that trip to Africa.
You're not annoying, Oh no, no, no, no, you were asking him tons of questions.
How long is the flight from Atlanta to Arusha, Tanzania.
I'm gonna go with at least seventeen hours.
Okay, I'm twenty nine thirty sitting in business class with Reverend Jesse Jackson a roll over.
I was annoying as hell.
Hey, Acau, I was just so excited to be around this dude, and he could not get.
Away from me.
He was stuck on a plane with you. You didn't have to chase him down, and so we spent a week. That was just one of a number of wonderful, really memories over the years, and it was for the most part for me, Robes. I'm a black man from the South. I know who what Jesse Jackson represents.
And just to have the opportunities I had over the years to be with him Marv just treasures.
They're absolute treasures.
He was funny, he was warm, he was intense, but you always felt like you had to be You had to be on your game, like you always like, I don't want him to see me not behaving the right way.
He was intentional, always, always.
That same trip to Africa, he made me get up and donate one thousand dollars. Him and rim and Sharp, him and Ambassador Young were really good about They'll get on stage just to speak, and all of a sudden they turn into a fundraiser, put you on the spot. He starts calling people. I'll say, right now, who wants to give this much? Who wants to give TJ and I had to stand up and say, okay, I have.
Some given money today.
That's the power of Reverend Jackson.
But the last one is my favorite. I'll give you robes Detroit, NAACP Convention. I'm on a dais with the most surreal one of the most surreal moments of my life. I'm sitting up on a dais this program huge room, and the podium.
Is in one spot.
And to the right of that podium, the first chair sits Reverend Al Sharpton, the next chair sits TJ. Holmes, the next chair sits Reverend Jesse Jackson, and the next chair was Aretha Franklin. Wow, I'm sitting on this stage and the highlight of the night was hearing Reverend Sharpton and Reverend Jackson talk shit to each other across me. They were just two dudes just talking shit like anybody would talk shit to their boys.
And that was for me, like I.
Can't believe I goodness.
Say this, yeah that's well, or just yeah, did someone take a picture of that?
Because I got okay, that's that should be framed.
I got tons of victors of that. But that wasn't them talking about the movement. It wasn't them talking about history. Is not talking about politics.
They were just a.
Couple of guys and I witnessed them just be a couple guys giving each other hell. And so look, all those memories are there, they come back and they just we always say ropes. Our lives sometimes are surreal, and he, for the two of us, added to our lives in a very memorable way in our careers.
And we appreciate, oh my goodness, yes, And you know what, as we talk about all that Reverend Jackson did and accomplished and who he was as a philanthropist and a civil rights leader, he was also a husband and a father, and we forget that too, you know, you say, it was interesting to hear him just kind of talk shit and not be purposeful or intentional about the movement or what he was doing. But he was also just a dude, a human, you know, I mean we forget that sometimes
people of legendary status. Yes, we should mention he had some controversies throughout He certainly did, and that fell to his son as well. So that's what happens when you are in the limelight. You the good, the bad, and the ugly. We have all sides to all of us, and some of the well, they're all very exemplified, or at least they're put on a world stage in a way that most people's aren't. So, yes, he had flaws, but yes he was a human being.
I wanted to give that update today.
They did tell us Robes, they haven't given a schedule yet, but his public memorials and whatnot will be happening in Chicago, which the place he called home and which was the home of the Rainbow Push Coalition all these years. But folks, we want to hop on and give you that update. A tough one to hear. But eighty four, even Robes these days.
Seems young, it does, it does.
Eighty four years old civil rights icon Jesse Jackson has passed away. We always appreciate you spending some time here with us. Will continue to update you throughout the day as always top right corner of your Apple Podcasts Apple where you see our show page. Little button it says follow.
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But we always appreciate you spending time with us. TJ. Holmes on behalf of and they will stops