“Keep Hope Alive!” — hundreds honor life of civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — “Keep hope alive!” — a saying now engraved in history by the late Reverend Jesse Jackson- whose body lay in state at the State House on Monday.

Monday morning, hundreds of people from across the state and the nation gathered to pay their respects to the civil rights icon, presidential candidate, fighter for LGBTQ rights, and ordained Baptist Minister.

The line to honor Jackson’s legacy wrapped around the State House, weaving back to Gervais Street.

“Because I had to be here just to go past the casket to say thank you. I am originally from Alabama, born under Jim Crow laws, I have experienced it. I have felt it,” says Jessie Legette who flew from Rochester, New York.

Patricia Hallums Scott graduated with Jackson back in 1959 from Sterling High School in Greenville — the only high school for Black students before desegregation.

“He was very charismatic, he always had his hand out to help others,” says Hallums Scott who finds the length of the line to be a clear sign of Jacksons’ lasting legacy.

“Let’s keep the hope alive. And the hope alive is equality, sense of belonging, a sense of sharing, with again our community, our church family. We have a job to do, and you never get too old to do that job,” she says.

A number of dignitaries spoke at a private ceremony before the public was allowed inside, including Senator Karl Allen, television celebrity Judge Greg Mathis, Greenville Mayor Knox White, and Congressman Jim Clyburn — who reiterated the impact Jackson had on American politics.

“I can remember those battles to get rid of winner takes all elections. Who precipitated that? Jesse Lewis Jackson. And I don’t care what anybody says to the contrary, were it not for a proportional voting in our primaries, Barack Obama would’ve never gotten the nomination to be President of the United States of America,” says Clyburn.

Jackson’s daughter Santita Jackson also touched on the power of her father, saying, “He is a force of nature and I say is because he always will be. He is one of the sons of blood and thunder, and indeed I again say he is one of the sons of South Carolina.”

Back outside, folks like George Curtis, who’s wearing a hat from one of Jackson’s presidential campaigns, says Jackson opened doors for the younger generation. And it’s now up to them.

“And that’s the main thing- keep hope alive! And vote!” says Curtis.

Reverend Jackson will be buried at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago later this month.