Speaker Johnson Denies Capitol Honor for Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
House Speaker Mike Johnson denied a request for the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to lie in honor at the United States Capitol. Sources familiar with the matter indicated the decision aligned with past precedent regarding the handling of other high-profile figures. Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. passed away at 84 years old.
Sources stated that the decision to reject the request, made on behalf of Jackson’s family, was based on established precedent and was not political.
Decision Details
The decision to reject the request was based on established precedent and was not political. Similar requests for conservative political activist Charlie Kirk and former Vice President Dick Cheney were also denied.
The general practice for lying in honor typically applies to presidents, select military officials, and certain government officials. Former President Jimmy Carter was the last individual for whom this honor was extended.
Lying in honor involves placing the deceased's casket in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for public viewing and respects.
Commemoration Plans
Jackson's family announced that he will lie in repose at the Rainbow PUSH headquarters in Chicago next week. This will be followed by formal services in his home state of South Carolina and in Washington, D.C.
Background on Jesse Jackson
Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. was a prominent civil rights leader who rose to national recognition in the 1960s as a close aide to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He twice sought the Democratic presidential nomination and founded the Rainbow Coalition, an alliance that included various demographic groups, influencing the Democratic Party.