Reverend Jesse Jackson; A Fifty-Year Friendship

The Edelman Family lost a true friend today. Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away this morning in Chicago, ending a fifty-year relationship with our family. He was omnipresent, giving the eulogy at my father’s funeral, presiding at my marriage to Claudia, coming to our new office in Chicago for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the company. Edelman was the PR advisor and marketing arm for Operation Rainbow PUSH for a generation, helping him to broaden his appeal to corporate America.

It all began with a visit by Rev. Jackson to my father’s office in the early 70s. Rev. Jackson was upset about Edelman’s representation of a company that was resisting his efforts to diversify its supply chain to include black-owned businesses. The meeting got quite heated, with Rev. Jackson suggesting that he might even encourage action against Edelman. By the end of the session, these two big personalities found a way forward and began a lifetime friendship. Whenever Operation Rainbow PUSH needed a publicity campaign, a new brochure or support for events, Edelman provided pro-bono services. My mother forged an independent relationship with Rev. Jackson on issues such as mental health in the African American community.

My father passed the torch to me in his final years so that I became a constant recipient of Rev. Jackson’s ideas and desires. There were frequent visits to his office. We disagreed on issues like the proper role of Government in capitalism, but we found an equilibrium, which was mostly him talking, me listening and gently giving guidance.

Here are my favorite memories of our fifteen years together.

1. Lead from the Front – He volunteered for the hardest assignments, including a mission to Serbia to free an American pilot who had been captured in the Bosnian war. He marched with striking teachers and grape pickers to generate publicity for the cause.
2. The Matchmaker – He came to the Cannes Festival of Creativity with a message; you are missing the opportunity of a diverse work force. He organized a sit-down on the lawn in Cannes for me and three other Edelman executives with a group of 20 African American marketers. This accelerated our push for diversity and inclusion.
3. Not a Moment to Waste – His middle name was discipline. He preached it in his Sunday morning sermons from the pulpit. He lived it by exercising every morning and working on every flight while the rest of us were taking a nap. He believed in effort and excellence. There is always someone to help and a cause to be endorsed.
4. The Performer – He was blessed with a magical ability as an orator. His speech at the 1988 Democratic Convention united a divided party, while providing a historical narrative of struggle. He lit up every room he entered. His eulogy of my father in 2013 at Temple Sinai in Chicago relied on the Old Testament, a reference to Moses taking his people to the Promised Land but leaving it to the next generation to carry on…looking straight at me.
5. A Fair Share – He knew that the key to African American advancement was getting the black community into board rooms, bond offerings, and supply chains. He held an annual convening on Wall Street, featuring black bankers and money managers including John Rogers and Jim Reynolds who showed the way. He worked with major foreign companies with important investments in the U.S. such as Toyota to endow college scholarships for promising high school students.
6. Political Force – His presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 helped pave the way for Barack Obama to become the first Black president of the United States. His office in Chicago was a mecca for ambitious politicians seeking his endorsement. He pushed the candidates on higher minimum wage; more support for unions and national healthcare.
7. Family Man – Rev. Jackson was devoted to his family, which included the long-time employees of Operation Rainbow PUSH. His son Yusuf, a successful businessman, will take responsibility for the NGO, which still has an important voice in the fight for equal opportunity. His brother Jesse still has a bright political future, having served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Two years ago, I went for a brainstorm on fundraising at Rev. Jackson’s office. His mind was active, his verbal skills were diminished, and he was confined to a wheelchair by the demon of Parkinson’s disease. He wanted events in Silicon Valley, in Los Angeles and New York City to inspire the next generation of change-makers. He accompanied me to the exit in his wheelchair, then insisted on a photo. He pushed himself up and stood on his own, his arm around me, a force of will triumphing over age and illness. This vignette captures the spirit of the indomitable Jesse Jackson. The world will miss him profoundly. I will miss him even more. I join my wife Claudia, brother John and sister Renée in sending our condolences to his family.

Richard Edelman is the CEO.