HEADLINE: Speaker Johnson Denies Capitol Honors for Rev. Jesse Jackson;

Family Announces Extended Memorial Services

By Gospel Newsroom, Powered by iPraiseRadio.com

In a decision citing historical precedent, House Speaker Mike Johnson has denied a request for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to lie in honor at the United States Capitol Rotunda, a designation typically reserved for former presidents, select military officials, and government leaders .

The civil rights icon and Baptist minister passed away on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at the age of 84, after a prolonged battle with progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson’s disease . His family, along with several House Democrats, had submitted a formal request for Jackson to be memorialized at the Capitol—an honor bestowed on only a select few private citizens in American history.

A Decision Based on Precedent

Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that Speaker Johnson’s office received the request from the Jackson family but denied it in keeping with established protocols. The decision was described as “not political” and consistent with how recent requests for conservative activist Charlie Kirk and former Vice President Dick Cheney were also denied .

“The general practice is for presidents, select military officials, and select government officials to lie in honor,” a source explained, noting that the honor was most recently extended to former President Jimmy Carter .

While there is no specific written rule about who qualifies for the honor—a decision controlled by concurrence from both the House and Senate—precedent has established that private citizens rarely receive this distinction. Notable exceptions include civil rights icon Rosa Parks in 2005 and evangelist Rev. Billy Graham in 2018 .

Family Responds with Grace

Santita Jackson, Rev. Jackson’s eldest daughter, responded to Speaker Johnson’s decision with grace and understanding during an interview with ABC7 Chicago.

“Other people had that idea, and the Speaker has authority over that branch of government and over the Capitol,” Santita said. “I think that the Speaker has his decision. He has rendered it. What we want is for the people to get a chance to be with him” .

The family is now exploring alternative locations in Washington, D.C., including Howard University, the Washington National Cathedral, or the National Museum of African American History and Culture . There is also discussion about whether Jackson could lie in honor in another part of the Capitol, such as National Statuary Hall, which was used for a vigil honoring Charlie Kirk last year.

A Legacy That Cannot Be Contained

Rev. Jesse Jackson’s impact on American society and the church extends far beyond the walls of any single building. A protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson rose to national prominence in the 1960s as a close aide to the civil rights leader and was with King when he was assassinated on April 4, 1968 .

Jackson went on to become a transformative figure in his own right—a fiery orator whose Rainbow Coalition brought together Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and LGBTQ people to reshape the Democratic Party. He twice ran for president, in 1984 and 1988, inspiring Black America and stunning political observers with his ability to attract voters across racial lines .

For more than six decades, Jackson stood at the intersection of faith and politics, founding the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and using his platform to champion voting rights, education, economic justice, and international human rights .

Extended Memorial Services Announced

The Jackson family, in consultation with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, has announced an extensive schedule of memorial services that will allow the public to pay their respects across multiple cities +1:

Chicago Services:

• Wednesday-Thursday, February 25-26: Rev. Jackson will lie in state at Rainbow PUSH headquarters (930 E. 50th Street, Chicago). Doors open at 10 a.m. both days.
• Friday, February 27: “People’s Celebration” at House of Hope (752 E. 114th Street, Chicago), a 10,000-seat church. Doors open at 9 a.m.
• Saturday, February 28: Public homegoing services at Rainbow PUSH. Doors open at 9 a.m.

Additional Services:

• Sunday, March 1: Formal services in Greenville, South Carolina (Jackson’s hometown). Time and location to be announced.
• Wednesday, March 4: Formal services in Washington, D.C. Time and location to be announced.
• Saturday, March 7: Private homegoing service at Rainbow PUSH, Chicago. This service will be livestreamed to the public .

Jackson will also be the first African American to lie in honor at the South Carolina State Capitol, a historic recognition in his home state .

“His Spirit Charges Us to Continue”

At a news conference outside the family home on Wednesday, Jackson’s children gathered to honor their father’s memory and vow to continue his work.

“Although his body is absent from us, his spirit suffuses and infuses us, and it charges us to continue with the work,” Santita Jackson said .

The family described their father as a “servant leader—not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.” They added: “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by” .

A Man of Faith and Action

As the body of Christ mourns the loss of one of its most prophetic voices, we are reminded that Rev. Jesse Jackson’s true memorial is not found in marble halls or government buildings—it is written in the lives he touched, the justice he pursued, and the Gospel he preached through both word and deed.

His was a ministry that called the church to be the church: to comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable, and never forget that faith without works is dead.

As the Scripture says in Hebrews 13:7: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

Registration information for the public memorial services will be made available in the coming days through the Rainbow PUSH Coalition website.

Rest in power, Rev. Jackson. The work continues.