by David Greising
For most of Jesse Jackson's life, his trademark declaration -- "I am somebody!" -- has been self-evident.
But not so much any more. The rise of Barack Obama and a surge of young leaders in the civil rights movement are raising questions about how big a somebody Jackson really is these days.
It is a perplexing transition not just for Jackson but for the civil rights movement too. For both, the challenge will be to remain central to politics in this country even as Obama's nomination for president next week prompts many Americans to believe the major goals of the civil rights movement have been achieved.
Jackson will have none of such talk.
"It will be a stunning achievement for America," Jackson said about Obama's impending nomination. "But the work of civil rights, broadly, the whole fight for the rights of the individual, will continue."
Obama's nomination will cap a period of striking change in leadership of the African-American community. And Jackson must adjust to the change in order to remain relevant in the age of Obama.
In politics, where Jackson once was without peer as an African-American on the national stage, Obama has eclipsed him. The generation Obama represents has achieved success everywhere from Capitol Hill to city halls to state capitals across the country. In civil rights, Rev. Al Sharpton leads a new wing of the movement that is flanked by radio voices and bloggers who have shown an ability to mobilize mass protests.
"The largest challenge facing Jesse is, in a day when you have a Barack in government and there are players like Sharpton in civil rights, are you still relevant?" Sharpton asked.
"Part of his relevance is that some of the new players out there, people like me, he helped mentor. The question now is, does he play the elder statesman in terms of living through them?"
How Jackson handles not just the presidential campaign but a prospective Obama presidency will do much to define his legacy. It also will say much about what new course the civil rights movement must set.
"Jesse is caught betwixt and between," said Cornel West, a Princeton University professor and leading voice on African-American politics. "But that is true of Jesse's cause as well."
David Greising writes for the Chicago Tribune. See his full article on Jesse Jackson in the age of Barack Obama at ChicagoTribune.com.
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Comments
I think we know how he handled this presidential campaign. "Nuts" he said. Who do you think Jesse is punching over at http://www.bop-o-rama.com. Obama's total topped 430,000 while McCain's total surged last night, it is still welll below 250,000.
Posted by: acarponzo | August 22, 2008 7:43 AM
Hallelujiah. Let him retire gracefully to the side and let the new generation (except for Sharpton) take center stage.
Rev. Jackson is the worst possible representative in that his media-hogging seems to be all about HIM, and not about the issues. If there's a camera anywhere around, Jackson is front and center. The issue somehow becomes about how important Jackson is and how much good Jackson is doing and how much Jackson is fighting for the little guy. The real reason he was there in the first place becomes eclipsed in the media frenzy that Jackson generates around himself.
Posted by: Carla | August 22, 2008 7:52 AM
A new well educated, balanced sucessor to Jesse has arisen.
Jackson was crude, as well as, Sharpton.
Let these new black leaders rise and replace the old hacks from the past.
Jackson and his Rainbow Coalition are not happy with the results of Affirmative Action. At their last meeting a speaker stated Affirmative Action had not work due to ....
WHITE WOMEN...being chosen for positions/jobs over blacks.
Now, it's WHITE WOMEN who must be eliminated from the pool of potential candidates.
Blacks passionately despises whites. Whites are to blame for everything.
Former Secretary of State William Cohen and his wife, Janet, just held a conference on blacks.
They want some monetary compensation for the results of slavery.
And ofcourse, EVERYTHING was the whites fault.
Janet Cohen asked a speaker to explain Jeremiah Wirght's claim that blacks were injected with the aids virus. This wonderfully articulate woman, a medical ethist, stated that since the Tuskgee syphillus experiment, where blacks were injected, COULD bring about the worry that blacks were injected with the aids virus.
Geesh, that is not proof, that is a massive though process that white-hating blacks continue to validate.
Would like to know, who, what group of whites are responsible; and what group of whites are supposed to pay reparations to blacks. And what blacks? How will they be identified?
Horrid things happened to blacks. Blacks want to be heard. Blacks want an absolute apology (voted on by the senate, which refused to do so)
Soon it will be too late for reparations. Too much intermingling, whties declining in population, other minorities that came to this country AFTER slavery refusing to pay.
Wake up!
Posted by: Horace Mall | August 22, 2008 8:36 AM
Jesse Jackson has been irrelevant for years. No one had the courage to tell him, as he was created with the help of the media through his vigorous self promotion. Hopefully he will fade away to a spot on that the trash heap of history has reserved for him.
Posted by: middleclassguy | August 22, 2008 9:57 AM
Thank goodness...
Jesse, your generation did good work in destroying barriers in this country. Now, please retire to a nice cabin on a picturesque lake. You've done your duty; but the times have passed you by. Please go away.
Posted by: kingtrev | August 22, 2008 10:23 AM
Jackson's most relevant moments were in 83 when he negotiated the release of captured American pilot Robert Goodman and in 84 when he negotiatied the release of Americans held in Cuba.
I've been less convinced of his accomplishments within is own borders. Obama carries a much more positive approach that brings people together in ways other than protest.
Posted by: DD | August 22, 2008 11:39 AM
Jessie Jacksonis a has been, but give him credit he made his family rich through weel and dealing-
Posted by: George | August 22, 2008 2:20 PM
Goodbye Jesse and Al, your style of race bating is over. All you achieved was to drive racial prejudice into stealth mode. Don't believe me? Just ask Al Gore to give Oprah a hug and see what happens. Obama is a breath of fresh air, willing to mend fences and stand up for accountability. What a different world it would have been today if Martin Luther King Jr. had lived. No way would he have put up with the corruptness of Jesse, Al, and his heirs. But life goes on. You Go Obama – show this nation what real change is!
Dana
Posted by: Dana Pintago | August 22, 2008 4:29 PM
Gee It seems as though the OBama supporters and backers have little respect for any of the civil rights workers that got them where they are todayand I don't just mean AA ,i mean all aspects of rights for humans.
It jsut because someone isn't 25 doesn't mean they aren't valuble or that they should be discarded.I can't remember when this kind of attacks on people are older but still productive and their work that advanced people .other countries respect their elders and feel as though they have wisdom from their EXPERIENCE! Only spoiled disrespectful ,selfish Ameriacn young and powerful are doing this,.
Posted by: rosa | August 23, 2008 12:17 AM