Johnson on Request for Jesse Jackson: It's a No
Newser • • general
Key Points:
- Reverend Jesse Jackson, a two-time presidential candidate and civil-rights leader, died at 84 and was denied the honor of lying in state at the US Capitol, a tradition allowing the public to pay respects.
- Jackson founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and served as a Democratic adviser, with previous Capitol honors given to figures like Rosa Parks and Billy Graham, though the last person to lie in state was former President Jimmy Carter.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson faces criticism for not authorizing Jackson to lie in honor, with NAACP President Derrick Johnson condemning the decision as indicative of disregard for civil rights and democracy.
- Jackson is expected to be memorialized in Chicago in the coming weeks, despite the controversy over Capitol recognition.
