Thousands Honor Jesse Jackson at Chicago Memorial

Thousands of mourners, including former U.S. Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, gathered Friday in Chicago to honor the life of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died last month at age 84. The public memorial service at House of Hope, a 10,000-seat venue on the city's South Side, celebrated Jackson's decades-long activism in advancing voting rights, desegregation and economic justice for marginalized communities.

The event drew a diverse array of political figures, clergy and performers, marking one of the largest tributes to Jackson's legacy. Doors opened at 9 a.m., with the service beginning at 11 a.m. Among the attendees were former first ladies Jill Biden and Hillary Clinton, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton and Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts. Former Vice President Kamala Harris also joined the gathering. Speakers included Johnson, Pritzker, Sharpton, Waters, Ricketts and others such as Judge Greg Mathis, Rev. Michael Pfleger and Rev. Otis Moss III.

Performances added a vibrant gospel element to the proceedings. Singer Jennifer Hudson, BeBe Winans and Rev....