Reverend Jesse Jackson.
SUBSCRIBE to TheReedersBlock.com to get hot takes in perspective. This article is 100% human-written.
Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away on February 17, after fighting to advance Civil Rights across the country. During his prolific speeches and talks, he dropped some of the most influential quotes in history. Below are some of his famously notable quotes, though there are many more.
Top Ten Jesse Jackson Quotes
On Resilience and Origin
“I was born in a slum, but the slum was not born in me.”
On Activism vs. Talk
“Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change.”
On Human Dignity
“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.”
On Economic Reality
“When we’re unemployed, we’re called lazy; when the whites are unemployed, it’s called a depression.”
On Forgiveness and Humanity
“If there are occasions when my grape turned into a raisin and my joy bell lost its resonance, please forgive me. Charge it to my head and not to my heart.”
On the Ultimate Choice
“We must choose co-existence or co-annihilation.” (Quoted by Jesse Jackson from Martin Luther King Jr.).
Bob Fitch photography archive, © Stanford University Libraries.
On Political Power
“Senior high school graduation must be seen as a passage of rites into adulthood. On that graduation day or night, we must put a diploma in one hand symbolizing knowledge and wisdom, and put a voter registration card in that other hand symbolizing power and responsibility.”
On Courage
“A man must be willing to die for justice. Death is an inescapable reality and men die daily, but good deeds live forever.”
On Unity
“America is not like a blanket-one piece of unbroken cloth… America is more like a quilt: many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread.”
On Authentic Leadership
“Leadership must be tough enough to fight, tender enough to cry, human enough to make mistakes, and resilient enough to bounce back.”
The Takeaway
Although Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away on February 17 at the age of 84, his legacy lives on, especially through his quotes. Jackson lived a life of action and compassion, and he influenced generations. His words moved hearts and people. This article contains just some of his notable quotes, but there are many more. Check out the above Jesse Jackson quotes and some others on WUNC.org.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is an educator and the Editor in Chief of TheReedersBlock. FOLLOW him for the boldest perspectives.
Discover more from The Reeders Block
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The Reeders Block 
One thought on “Top Ten Jesse Jackson Quotes”