House Speaker denies request for Jesse Jackson to lie in honor at Rotunda
Chicago Tribune • • nation
Key Points:
- House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office denied the request for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, citing precedent that the space is typically reserved for former presidents, military personnel, and select officials.
- The Jackson family and some House Democrats had sought the honor following Jackson’s death at age 84, but the decision requires concurrence from both the House and Senate, and no specific rules govern eligibility.
- The Capitol Rotunda has rarely been used to honor private citizens, with notable exceptions including civil rights icon Rosa Parks and Rev. Billy Graham; Congressman John Lewis was the first Black lawmaker to lie in state there in 2020.
- The Jackson family has planned memorial services in Chicago
