By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | Contributing Writer
For many Black voters and political leaders in California, the name Rev. Jesse Jackson represents more than a national civil rights figure. His presidential campaigns in the 1980s energized Black political participation, helped expand multiracial coalitions and influenced a generation of activists and elected officials across the state.
That legacy was on display last week in Chicago, where Gov. Gavin Newsom joined thousands of mourners and political leaders at Jackson’s memorial service while traveling the country on a national book tour promoting his memoir Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.
Jackson, who died Feb. 17 at age 84, spent decades advocating for voting rights, economic opportunity and racial justice, building a national coalition that reshaped American politics.
California flags flew at half-staff throughout the week as Newsom ordered the tribute to honor Jackson’s legacy.
“As we pay our final respects to Reverend Jesse Jackson before he is laid to rest this weekend,” Newsom said in a statement, “his lifetime of lessons and wisdom leaves us well-prepared to continue the work of building a better world.”
Jackson’s memorial drew a wide range of political and civil rights leaders.
Former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were among those who spoke or attended the service at Chicago’s House of Hope, along with former Vice President Kamala Harris, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and other national figures.
Newsom attended alongside governors and elected officials from across the country, joining a gathering of Democratic leaders whose political careers were shaped in part by the movement Jackson helped build.
The service blended reflection, music and the chants that defined Jackson’s movement.
Attendees repeated Jackson’s signature calls of “I am somebody” and “Keep hope alive,” phrases that became rallying cries for generations of civil rights activism.
Jackson marched with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and ran for president in 1984 and 1988, campaigns that expanded Black political participation nationwide.
Jackson’s political influence was also felt deeply in California. During his presidential campaigns, Jackson traveled frequently to California, speaking at churches and universities while encouraging Black voter participation and supporting farmworker organizing in the Central Valley.
For many Black political leaders in the state, Jackson’s campaigns helped demonstrate how coalition politics could translate grassroots organizing into electoral power.
Newsom’s appearance at the funeral comes in the middle of a national tour promoting Young Man in a Hurry, the memoir he released in February.
The book focuses on Newsom’s childhood, including growing up with dyslexia and struggling academically. He writes about the influence of his mother, who worked multiple jobs after his parents divorced, and credits her perseverance with shaping his ambitions.
Newsom has described the memoir as both a process that allowed him to “scrutinize who I am, not sanitize it,” and a “love letter to my mom.”
The book also recounts Newsom’s entry into San Francisco politics, acknowledging the influence of former Mayor Willie Brown, who appointed him to city commissions and helped launch his political career, as well as Rev. Amos C. Brown, a longtime civil rights leader and prominent voice in the city’s Black community.
Those references highlight the influence Black political leadership had in shaping San Francisco’s coalition politics during the period when Newsom entered public life.
At tour stops across the country, Newsom has used discussions about the book to weigh in on national political debates, frequently criticizing Pres. Donald Trump and Republican leadership.
One widely discussed moment occurred during a stop in Atlanta with Mayor Andre Dickens.
Speaking about his struggles in school, Newsom told the audience, “I’m like you… I’m no better than you… I’m a 960 SAT guy,” explaining that dyslexia continues to shape how he prepares for speeches and public appearances.
The remark sparked debate online. Critics said the comment sounded awkward when delivered to a largely Black audience, while supporters said Newsom was describing the academic challenges he faced growing up.
Newsom has also addressed international issues while on the tour. During one appearance he discussed tensions involving Israel and Iran, explaining that his earlier comments about Israel moving toward what critics describe as an “apartheid state” reflected concerns raised by commentators about Israeli policy under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The governor has also used the tour to criticize Trump’s administration.
During a stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Newsom said Trump was “in retreat” following the firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
During another stop in South Carolina, Newsom told Democratic audiences the party must reconnect with rural communities and voters who feel overlooked by national politics.
“There was a sense that Democrats abandoned rural and small towns,” Newsom said. “We’ve got to do a better job. You’ve got to show up and show respect.”
Asked whether the tour could signal presidential ambitions, Newsom did not rule out the possibility.
“If that moment presents itself and I feel like I’d add some value, that’s a possibility,” he said.
In Young Man in a Hurry, Newsom recounts the experiences he says shaped his entry into politics. His book tour has given him an opportunity to present that story to audiences across the country while weighing in on the political moment shaped by Trump and the broader debate over the future of national politics — debates unfolding in a political landscape partly shaped by the civil rights movement leaders like Jesse Jackson helped build.