Today, the Judge Alexander Williams Jr. Center for Education, Justice and Ethics honors the life and legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson, a Civil Rights pioneer and leader of the Civil Rights Movement who passed at the age of 84.

Born in 1941, Jackson was a young protege of Martin Luther King Jr. and participated in civil rights demonstrations, including leading a sit-in inside a segregated public library at South Carolina in 1960. Later, Jackson partnered with MLK Jr. at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) until he witnessed his death in 1968.

To keep the hope alive, Jackson pushed forward the Civil Rights Movement and made Chicago his base operation as Founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, a grassroots coalition that influenced companies and organizations to invest more funding and social services into communities of color. This pursuit advanced him to seek more political involvement where he ran for the presidential election in 1984 and 1988.

On a local level, he was a giant in the Civil Rights movement within Washington, DC where he promoted DC statehood and rights towards constituents/residents. On a local and national scale, Jackson was very passionate about teaching the next generation including teaching history and voting rights to children and inspiring students to find their voices and learn how they can become more politically involved. His slogan "Run Jesse Run!" spoke across generations, pushed politics towards a moral arc that focuses on justice and equality for all, and gave the Black community through their vote a seat at the table.

For his efforts, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Former President Bill Clinton. May his legacy continue to keep hope alive as the Center encourages civic engagement and awareness to advance student empowerment by learning about voting rights and getting out the vote in their communities.