Bill Text: MS SC533 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Extend the sympathy of the Legislature to the family of national civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15)
Status: (Failed) 2026-04-15 - Died In Committee [SC533 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-SC533-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Frazier, Mumford, DuPree, Gillespie Isom, Thomas, Blackmon, Simmons (13th), Simmons (12th), Turner-Ford, Hickman, Brumfield, Jackson, Pope, Barnett, Norwood
Senate Concurrent Resolution 533
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE TO THE FAMILY OF NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS ICON REVEREND JESSE L. JACKSON, SR., ON HIS PASSING.
WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi mourns the passing of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., a transformative leader whose life's work is deeply woven into the history of the nation; and
WHEREAS, Jesse Jackson was a towering civil rights icon who battled alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., negotiated global hostage releases and shamed corporations for their lack of corporate diversity and failure to support voting rights. He was 84; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson was a lifelong soldier for justice. As a young organizer in the 1960s, he labored alongside NAACP leaders, spoke at several national conventions, marched with members, and helped expand the national movement for racial equality into a broad, people-powered coalition, demanding systemic change.
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson's passing marks the loss of a towering moral voice, but the movement he helped build will carry his light forward. His legacy calls each of us to stay committed, stay organized, and remain faithful to the pursuit of justice; and
WHEREAS, President Donald Trump extended sympathies to the family of the Reverend Jesse Jackson following his death and called the civil rights leader a "force of nature like few others before him." "He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and "street smarts," President Trump wrote. "He was gregarious, someone who truly loved people!" The President listed policies enacted during his two administrations that he said Jackson supported, including criminal justice reform, more funding for historically black colleges and universities, and "Opportunity Zones," which are tax incentives that aim to spur economic development in low-income areas and were created through the 2017 tax reform legislation. Jackson "loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed"; and
WHEREAS, Jackson was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, a two-time Democratic presidential candidate and a mentor to many civil rights leaders; and
WHEREAS, U.S. House Representative Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, issued a statement Tuesday, February 17, describing Jackson as "a transformative leader whose life and legacy reshaped the fight for civil rights, social justice and equality in America." "Reverand Jackson's footprints are across Mississippi and the South, working to make life better for countless families," Thompson wrote. "From advocating for residents in the Sugar Ditch community in Tunica, to supporting the historic Mule Train March from Marks to Washington, D.C., to marching alongside students from Jackson State University to the Hinds County Courthouse to register to vote, Reverend Jackson helped inspire meaningful change across our state and nation. He also played a vital role in encouraging the election of hundreds of Black elected officials throughout Mississippi"; and
WHEREAS, Jackson Mayor John Horhn mourned the loss of Jackson, saying he knew Jackson personally and saw firsthand his belief that everyday people could drive real change, as well as his constant call to "keep hope alive" during difficult times. "Reverend Jesse Jackson was a giant of the American story and a moral voice for the world. From the streets of the Civil Rights Movement to the halls of power, he devoted his life to confronting injustice, expanding democracy, and calling this nation to live up to its highest ideals," Horhn said in the statement. Horhn said that Jackson helped expand voting access, break down barriers and bring people together around civil rights causes. "On behalf of the City of Jackson, I extend my condolences to his wife, Jacqueline, their children, the entire Jackson family, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition family," Horhn said. "May we honor Reverend Jackson by continuing the work to which he gave his life, expanding opportunity, protecting the right to vote, and bending the arc of history toward justice"; and
WHEREAS, Jesse Jackson was a civil rights activist, a pioneer for inclusivity and a two-time presidential candidate. "More than any of those things, said Senator Hillman Frazier, Democrat-Jackson, he was a friend." Senator Frazier met Jackson several times in Jackson and Washington, D.C. Jackson had identified Mississippi's capital city as a "ground zero for the growing Civil Rights Movement, Frazier said, and made a point of visiting the city often for speeches and voter engagement"; and
WHEREAS, Jackson was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, a two-time Democratic presidential candidate and a mentor to many civil rights leaders.
WHEREAS, U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, issued a statement Tuesday, Feb. 17, describing Jackson as "a transformative leader whose life and legacy reshaped the fight for civil rights, social justice and equality in America." "Rev. Jackson's footprints are across Mississippi and the South, working to make life better for countless families," Thompson wrote. "From advocating for residents in the Sugar Ditch community in Tunica, to supporting the historic Mule Train March from Marks to Washington, D.C., to marching alongside students from Jackson State University to the Hinds County Courthouse to register to vote, Rev. Jackson helped inspire meaningful change across our state and nation. He also played a vital role in encouraging the election of hundreds of Black elected officials throughout Mississippi"; and
WHEREAS, Jackson Mayor John Horhn mourned the loss of Jackson, saying he knew Jackson personally and saw firsthand his belief that everyday people could drive real change, as well as his constant call to "keep hope alive" during difficult times. "Reverend Jesse Jackson was a giant of the American story and a moral voice for the world. From the streets of the Civil Rights Movement to the halls of power, he devoted his life to confronting injustice, expanding democracy, and calling this nation to live up to its highest ideals," Horhn said in the statement. Horhn said Jackson helped expand voting access, break down barriers and bring people together around civil rights causes. "On behalf of the City of Jackson, I extend my condolences to his wife, Jacqueline, their children, the entire Jackson family, and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition family," Horhn said. "May we honor Reverend Jackson by continuing the work to which he gave his life, expanding opportunity, protecting the right to vote, and bending the arc of history toward justice"; and
WHEREAS, since the news of his death, people have been reminiscing about their favorite Jesse Jackson moments in pop culture. Among them is his 1991 appearance on Saturday Night Live. On the comedy program, Jackson paid tribute to famed author Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, who had recently passed away at the time; and
WHEREAS, when he declared, "I am Somebody," in a poem he often repeated, he sought to reach people of all colors. "I may be poor, but I am Somebody; I may be young, but I am Somebody; I may be on welfare, but I am Somebody," Jackson intoned; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson made numerous appearances in Mississippi and at the State Capitol. From his transformative organizing and tireless advocacy to his leadership on the national stage, his courage and conviction inspired millions and strengthened the Civil Rights Movement across this nation; he will be missed:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby extend the sympathy of the Legislature to the family of national civil rights icon Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., on his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, forwarded to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
