The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, took part this Friday in Chicago in the funeral of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, one of the most influential figures in the civil rights movement in the United States.
During his remarks at the ceremony, the Colombian leader highlighted the political and moral legacy of the historic activist and upheld his message of dialogue, equality, and social justice as a reference for contemporary democracies.
The event, which brought together political, religious, and social leaders from different countries, became a space to remember the trajectory of the African American leader and his impact on the struggles for civil rights in the 20th century.
Jackson, a Baptist minister and two-time candidate for the U.S. presidency, devoted decades to promoting racial equality and social justice, which made him a central figure in politics and activism in the United States.
Colombia’s Petro honors Jesse Jackson’s values at his funeral
During his speech at the funeral, Petro highlighted the value of dialogue as one of the pillars of public life defended by Jackson. The Colombian leader stated that the reverend’s trajectory represented a constant commitment to resolving social and political conflicts through words, negotiation, and the inclusion of historically marginalized sectors.
According to the head of state, Jackson was a symbol of society’s ability to transform themselves through democratic participation and the recognition of diversity. In that sense, Petro said that his legacy is not limited to American history, but rather constitutes a global reference for those seeking to build more egalitarian societies.
The Colombian president also recalled that the African American activist maintained for decades a constant struggle to expand the political and economic rights of Afro-descendant communities and other excluded sectors.
That trajectory, he noted, demonstrates that structural changes can arise from social processes that combine mobilization, dialogue, and political organization.
In his remarks, Petro insisted that Jackson’s experience shows the importance of keeping spaces for conversation open between sectors with different visions. For the president, that ability to build bridges allowed the religious leader to influence both social movements and the institutional politics of the United States.
In a comment later written on his personal account on the social network X, the president of Colombia said that the message of his remarks at the memorial event for Jackson “will revolve around what a rainbow means as a proposal for human brotherhood. It is the dialogue among civilizations like a rainbow and not the destruction of humanity through the dialogue of multicolored peoples united in the service of human brotherhood.”
At the event, former Democratic U.S. presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, the Reverend Al Sharpton, and Arab-American activist James Zogby also spoke.
En el funeral de Jesse Jackson, líder de los derechos civiles de los EEUU en Chicago, hablaré despues del expresidente Barack Obama, reverendo Al Sharpton, James Zogby, y hablará después de mí, El expresidente William Clinton, y más tarde Kamala Harris y Joseph Biden.
Mis… pic.twitter.com/2VoiMVjMFf
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) March 6, 2026
A reference for social justice and civil rights
The Colombian president also highlighted the role Jackson played within the civil rights movement, to which he devoted much of his life. Petro recalled that the reverend was a close collaborator of Martin Luther King Jr. and that he continued to promote demands for racial equality after the historic leader’s assassination in 1968.
For decades, Jackson promoted campaigns in defense of minority rights, access to education, and the fight against poverty. His leadership led him to become an influential figure within the Democratic Party and to run for the presidential nomination in the 1980s, a candidacy that marked a milestone in the political representation of African Americans in the United States.
Petro emphasized that the reverend’s trajectory was also marked by the defense of human dignity and international solidarity. In his view, Jackson managed to connect local struggles for equality with a broader vision of social justice, allowing his message to transcend U.S. borders.
In that context, the Colombian president stated that the activist’s memory represents a reminder that democracies must move toward more inclusive models. For Petro, Jackson’s legacy shows that politics can become a tool to expand rights and reduce inequalities.
An international tribute in Chicago
The funeral ceremony was held in Chicago, a city deeply linked to the trajectory of the religious leader and the setting for much of his political and social activism. The event brought together thousands of people and various figures from U.S. public life who attended to pay tribute to the historic defender of civil rights.
Among those in attendance were political leaders, representatives of social organizations, and members of the religious community, who highlighted Jackson’s influence on several generations of activists. His work was also reflected in initiatives aimed at promoting the political participation of marginalized groups and advancing public policies focused on equal opportunities.
Petro’s presence at the event followed an invitation to accompany the reverend’s family and various organizations linked to the civil rights movement. The president had previously expressed his admiration for Jackson, whom he described as a friend of Colombia and a symbol of the struggle for justice and equality.
Closing his remarks, Petro said the example of the African American leader will continue to inspire those who believe in a politics based on inclusion and human dignity. According to him, Jackson’s legacy demonstrates that societies can move forward when dialogue becomes the center of public action.