LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Sunday morning, Rev. Jesse Jackson attended St. Stephen Church in West Louisville to talk with the church’s pastor, Rev. Dr. Kevin Cosby, about the current protests rooted in racial disparities, violence and injustice.

 

What You Need To Know


  • Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks at St. Stephen Church 

  • Jackson discusses recent protests, poverty and racial injustice

 

Jackson didn’t pull back during the conversation. The iconic civil rights leader, Cosby, and Jackson’s son, Jonathan Jackson, all discussed the root causes of social unrest.

“The states had to ratify the end of slavery. Kentucky ratified it in 1976,” said Jackson, referring to Kentucky not ratifying the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865, until 1976. He stated that’s a reason there is still racial injustice in Kentucky.

“One hundred and eleven years after slavery, Kentucky ratified the end of slavery. This all about the legislation in the state,” Jackson said.

Jackson also didn’t forget to mention the other item on top of everyone’s minds, the coronavirus pandemic, but he said it’s not the only one we are facing.

“There is a pandemic of racial violence by police. There’s a pandemic of poverty. And then we [have] COVID-19,” the 78-year-old said.

Sitting to his right, Jonathan gave his two cents.

“I mean they treat horses better than they’ve treated black folks in the state of Kentucky, and that’s a shame,” Jonathan said. 

Both Jacksons attended the service representing Jackson’s organization he founded called the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC). The organization’s mission “is to protect, defend, and gain civil rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields, and to promote peace and justice around the world.” 

Jonathan said this generation isn’t going back to the racism of the past, and he sees hope in current protests happening worldwide.

“I’m thinking in the midst of all this we are going to see the greatest generation that we’ve ever had in America. I find these children that are hitting the streets, and Minneapolis there’s more whites in the streets than black, and in Australia, to Sydney, to the Pope speaking out against this, I think we are in for the greatest generation.”

Jackson said George Floyd’s death was a lynching that happened on TV. He didn’t forget to remind everyone of Kentucky’s own history of lynching.

“Fulton County, 20 lynchings; Logan County, two; Todd County, seven; Graves, six; Shelby six; McCracken, five; Louisville, four,” and he read many other counties, too.

Sunday marked the 11th consecutive day of protests in downtown Louisville. As the protests push forward, Jackson asked protesters to wear a mask and maintain social distancing coupled with a call for peace.

“As you march, march non-violently,” Jackson said. He added, “Non-violence is strong, not weak…violence is diversion. It allows the enemy to take the fear [and] turn the votes.”

Jackson said the difference between previous civil rights movements he has taken part in, like those in the 1960s, differ in that this injustice was caught on camera.

“One hundred sixty black lynchings in Kentucky. It’s the number. Some hanging from a tree, mutilated, maybe different, on-camera, real-time," said Jackson.

Regarding Breonna Taylor’s case, he said it’s a cover-up that kept the case from coming to light until months after the March 13, 2020, officer-involved fatal shooting by three undercover LMPD officers serving a no-knock warrant. 

“Covering up the lies and replace protect and serve. That’s the difference there,” Jackson said.

Jackson said those who killed Taylor should be brought to justice.

Jackson also said he hopes to meet with Louisville’s Mayor Greg Fischer, Governor Andy Beshear and Attorney General Daniel Cameron to talk about Breonna Taylor’s case and her justice prior to him leaving Louisville.