CHICAGO — Chicago’s South Side became holy ground this week as the nation gathered to say farewell to one of the most consequential figures in American history.

The Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, two-time presidential candidate, and lifelong champion of Black freedom and human dignity, was laid to rest following a week of services that stretched from Columbia, South Carolina to Chicago. He died in February at the age of 84, following a long battle with progressive supranuclear palsy.

On Friday, March 6, more than 10,000 mourners packed the House of Hope megachurch on the city’s Far South Side for “The People’s Celebration” — a homegoing service befitting a man who spent his life insisting that every person mattered. Three living former presidents — Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton — took the stage to pay tribute, joined by former Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Rep. Maxine Waters, NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, and a roster of luminaries from politics, faith, labor, and culture.

Jennifer Hudson, a fellow South Sider from Englewood, brought the crowd to its feet performing the civil rights standard “A Change Is Gonna Come.” The sanctuary rang out with the words Jackson made famous — “I am somebody!” — echoing through the pews as thousands chanted in unison.

Former President Obama delivered a sweeping eulogy tracing Jackson’s journey from Greenville, South Carolina to the national stage, crediting Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns with fundamentally reshaping how the Democratic Party selects its nominee and opening doors for future generations of candidates. Obama recalled watching Jackson in a presidential debate as a college student. The 22-year-old Barack Obama, he said, saw something that night that changed everything — proof that there was no room in America where Black people did not belong.

Among the most emotional tributes came from Isiah Thomas, who recalled first meeting Jackson as a child growing up in poverty on Chicago’s West Side. In a moment that drew a standing ovation, Thomas pointedly referred to Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton as “President Harris” and “President Clinton” — a deliberate, defiant act of recognition for two women who came within reach of the nation’s highest office.

Several speakers wove the present political moment into their remarks. Obama acknowledged that in today’s climate, “it’s hard to hope” — but urged the crowd to carry Jackson’s legacy forward as an act of resistance. Harris drew knowing applause when she said she had not predicted that the nation would have to face this moment without Jesse Jackson by its side.

On Saturday, March 7 — today — a final homegoing celebration was held at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters at 930 E. 50th Street, where Stevie Wonder performed and the Jackson family gathered for a more intimate farewell. Rev. Jackson will be interred at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago, where he joins civil rights giants including journalist Ida B. Wells.

Jackson’s legacy is impossible to overstate. He organized alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma and beyond. He built Operation PUSH and later Rainbow PUSH into national forces for economic justice. He negotiated the release of American prisoners of war and hostages abroad. He ran for president twice, winning enough delegates in 1988 to remain a force at the Democratic National Convention. He registered millions of new voters. He mentored a generation of Black leaders who now sit in governors’ mansions, the U.S. Senate, and city halls across the country.

His son Jesse Jackson Jr. is seeking a return to Congress, running in the March 17 Democratic primary in Illinois’ 2nd congressional district. His other son, Rep. Jonathan Jackson, currently holds Illinois’ 1st congressional district seat.

“Keep hope alive,” Yusef Jackson said in closing, invoking the phrase his father made a battle cry for millions. It was a charge — not just a remembrance.

The Sun-Reporter staff contributed to this report.