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WASHINGTON – The request for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson to be honored by lying in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda has been declined by House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office, citing established traditions.
According to Johnson’s office, the request came from Jackson’s family. However, it was turned down because traditionally, the Rotunda is designated for former presidents, military personnel, and select officials.
The revered civil rights leader, who passed away this week at the age of 84, was the subject of a formal request by his family and some House Democrats to be commemorated at the Capitol.
As the nation navigates deep political divisions, the question of who merits the honor of lying in state or in honor at the Capitol Rotunda continues to spark debate. These ceremonies typically allow the public to visit and pay their respects.
In recent times, similar requests have been made but denied, including those for the conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was killed, and former Vice President Dick Cheney.
There is no specific rule about who qualifies for the honor, a decision that is controlled by concurrence from both the House and Senate.
The Jackson family has announced scheduled dates for memorial services beginning next week that will honor the late reverend’s life in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and South Carolina. In a statement, the Jackson family said it had heard from leaders in both South Carolina, Jackson’s native state, and Washington offering for Jackson to be celebrated in both locations. Talks are ongoing with lawmakers about where those proceedings will take place. His final memorial services will be held in Chicago on March 6 and 7.
Typically, the Capitol and its Rotunda have been reserved for the “most eminent citizens,” according to the Architect of the Capitol’s website. It said government and military officials lay in state, while private citizens in honor.
In 2020, Congressman John Lewis, another veteran of the Civil Rights movement, was the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda after a ceremony honoring his legacy was held outside on the Capitol steps due to pandemic restrictions at the time.
Later that year, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi allowed services for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Capitol’s Statuary Hall after agreement could not be reached for services in the Capitol’s Rotunda.
It is rare for private citizens to be honored at the Capitol, but there is precedent – most notably Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks, in 2005, and the Reverend Billy Graham, in 2018.
A passionate civil rights leader and globally-minded humanitarian, Jackson’s fiery speeches and dual 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns transformed American politics for generations. Jackson’s organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, became a hub for progressive organizers across the country.
His unapologetic calls for a progressive economic agenda and more inclusive policies for all racial groups, religions, genders and orientations laid the groundwork for the progressive movement within the Democratic Party.
Jackson also garnered a global reputation as a champion for human rights. He conducted the release of American hostages on multiple continents and argued for greater connections between civil rights movements around the world, most notably as a fierce critic of the policies of Apartheid South Africa.