Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife have been hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19

Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife are both hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19.

"Doctors are currently monitoring the condition of both," the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC) said in a statement Saturday. "Anyone who has been around either of them for the last five or six days should follow the CDC guidelines."

RPC is a Chicago-based international human and civil rights organization founded by Jackson.

Jackson, 79, and his wife, Jacqueline Jackson, 77, are currently at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, the statement said.

Updates will be provided when they become available, according to RPC.

[SOURCE: CNN]

Rev. Jesse Jackson endorses Bernie Sanders

The Rev. Jesse Jackson has officially endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders.

In a statement Jackson said Sanders made several commitments to him: expanding Pell Grants, nominating African American women to the Supreme Court and his Cabinet, introducing in Congress a constitutional amendment on the right to vote, and considering an African American woman as his running mate.

"With the exception of Native Americans, African Americans are the people who are most behind socially and economically in the United States and our needs are not moderate,” Jackson said in the statement. “A people far behind cannot catch up choosing the most moderate path. The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up and Senator Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path. That's why I choose to endorse him today.”

"The Biden campaign has not reached out to me or asked for my support," he added. "The Sanders campaign has, and they responded to the issues I raised."

Maxine Waters speech at Wall Street Project Economic Summit

Rep. Maxine Waters save a speech at the 22nd Annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit, organized by Rev. Jesse Jackson. In that speech Congresswoman Waters shared that African Americans face challenges to close the wealth gap and America have a problem providing opportunities for people of color; but she called to action to improve diversity on boards and C-Suite level and in asset management; implement a Rooney Rule to hire and engage diverse asset management firms and retire the term "emerging." "This is a new day; a black woman has the gavel. People all over the world will hear it and I intend to use it," stated Congresswoman Waters. Watch her entire speech below:

Chicago protesters call for end to city violence

Thousands of anti-violence protesters including Chicago police Supt. Eddie Johnson and the Rev. Jesse Jackson marched in a protest organized by Rev. Michael Pfleger. Protesters marched along a Chicago interstate on Saturday, shutting down traffic in an effort to draw attention to the gun violence that's claimed hundreds of lives in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods and pressure public officials to do more to stop it. Some stopped to write on the road with chalk: "Enough is enough" and "Peace."

Rev. Jesse Jackson: NFL owners have 'plantation mentality'

Reverend Jesse Jackson, the noted civil rights activist, wants to have an extensive conversation with Texans owner Bob McNair.

In the wake of a firestorm of controversy following McNair saying "We can't have the inmates running the prison," at a recent NFL owners meetings, Jackson was sharply critical of the remarks in a telephone interview Sunday with The Houston Chronicle. Jackson accused owners, including McNair, of having a "plantation mentality."

Jackson added that there should be sanctions against McNair for his comments. McNair has apologized publicly in a statement and privately to his players and stated that he wasn't referring to players in those remarks. said he reached out to McNair and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and hasn't heard back from them.

Jackson suggested that the NFL provide extensive details about what was said at the closed-door meeting regarding players' national anthem protests.

"They really should make the minutes of that meeting public," Jackson said. "I understand there were some other things said that were just as bad from other owners. They have kind of a plantation mentality. The players are objectified in some sense. Mr. McNair is a product of the South. They act like he's a victim or misunderstood, but those players have made him a wealthy man.

"Mr. McNair said he's sorry, but he also said what he said in an uninhibited way when he's in a private meeting with the other owners. There should be some kind of sanctions. Other owners heard him talk that way and they shouldn't condone that kind of talk."

Jackson believes there's an opportunity to bring people together through this situation.

Read more: Rev. Jesse Jackson: NFL owners have 'plantation mentality'

Rev. Jesse Jackson visits Fla., discusses voter suppression

The Rev. Jesse Jackson says there was no evidence of voter fraud in the 2016 presidential election but says President Trump's Commission on Election Integrity should look at the suppression of minority voters in certain states, including Florida.

The civil rights activist visited St. John Baptist Church in Orlando Sunday to encourage voter participation and to talk about voter suppression.

In a call with The Associated Press, Jackson said between 1.3 and 1.7 million voters don't have the right to vote in Florida because they have a felony conviction although they are no longer incarcerated.

Jackson says his Rainbow PUSH Coalition has set up its own commission of scholars and activists to look into such voter suppression. The group is also focusing on voter registration in closely watched elections in Virginia and New Jersey. And in Florida, the group is focused on restoration of voting rights for felons.

[SOURCE: ORLANDO SENTINEL]

Jesse Jackson: It will be very hard to work with Donald Trump

The Rev. Jesse Jackson blasted President Trump’s Cabinet appointees on Sunday, saying picks such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos make it "very difficult” to work with the new administration.

“It’s going to be very difficult, because Trump’s appointees are hostile to our interests,” Jackson told radio host John Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York.

The civil rights activist painted Sessions as an opponent of social and racial justice, arguing he has stood at odds with the Voting Rights Act and desegregation rulings and calling his appointment “a stab in the heart of our struggle.”

Jackson also slammed DeVos, accusing her of having “bought her position in government.” Jackson argued the GOP mega-donor was unqualified to hold her position because of her lack of experience in a public school environment.

“Ms. DeVos has never ever been in the public schools,” he said. “Doesn’t have a teaching certificate, never been a principal, never been a superintendent. She just bought her position in government. Hard to discuss education with somebody with those kind of credentials.”

“It seems to me that meeting with Trump is going to be a very difficult thing to do,” he added.

[SOURCE: THEHILL.COM]

Jesse Jackson endorses Hillary Clinton

The Rev. Jesse Jackson endorsed Hillary Clinton on Saturday, continuing a recent string of high-profile endorsements for the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Jackson, speaking in Chicago, said he trusts that Clinton will look out for the interests of marginalized communities including refugees, immigrants and the poor.

"We trust her to work on health care, to fight for the poor ... for the willingness to fight for civil rights," Jackson said.

[SOURCE:CNN]

Chicago 'Black Christmas' protesters march against police violence

Several hundred protesters against police killings of black men marched on Thursday along Chicago's Michigan Avenue, calling for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to step down and aiming to disrupt Christmas Eve shopping in a glittering, upscale commercial area.

The demonstration was peaceful, but after the main march concluded, police scuffled with a few dozen protesters who were trying to block the entrance to an H&M store and to obstruct traffic both ways on Michigan Avenue, a major thoroughfare.

Read more: Chicago 'Black Christmas' protesters march against police violence

Rev. Jesse Jackson to Little League International: give our boys their title

[SOURCE} The Rev. Jesse Jackson once again rallied for the embattled Jackie Robinson West Little League team on Saturday, calling on the community that supported the team to pressure Little League International into returning their national title.

Little League International last week announced it would strip the South Side baseball team of the national championship because the adults running the program tried to steal territory that was home to talented players from neighboring programs by falsifying and backdating maps.

The Rev. Jackson told supporters to send letters to Little League International, and read out the organization’s address in Williamsport.

He said the city should erect a statue in JRW’s honor, and that supporters should create scholarships for the 13 players. “These children are more than champions, they’re heroes,” he said.

“Give our boys their title.”

Jesse Jackson presses Facebook on lack of diversity

[SOURCE] Jesse Jackson isn’t keeping quiet about the lack of diversity in the tech industry’s ranks.

The civil rights veteran and former presidential candidate plans to attend Facebook’s annual shareholders meeting in Redwood City today, pressing the company to include more minorities on its board and within its executive ranks. He has paid similar visits to shareholder meetings of eBay, Google and Hewlett-Packard this spring.

“At its best, technology can be a tremendously positive change agent for the world,” Jackson said, in a prepared statement. “At its worst, it can hold on to old patterns that exclude people of color and women from opportunity and advancement. Silicon Valley and the tech industry must transform itself to mirror the America it depends upon for talent and customers.”

Staff diversity among tech companies has come under increasing scrutiny, with many critics decrying a “bro culture” that often tends to be white and male. Jackson and his Rainbow PUSH Coalition are trying to focus some of that attention on the lack of diversity in the tech world’s board rooms and C-suites.

They’ve had some small successes. Last week, Google announced it would release a report that includes race and gender statistics for its workforce.