91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Watch CBS News
Local News

Rev. Jesse Jackson funeral in Chicago will be attended by Obama, Clintons, Bidens on Friday

By
Sara Tenenbaum
Sara Tenenbaum
Senior Web Producer, CBS Chicago
Sara Tenenbaum is the Senior Digital Producer for CBS News Chicago, overseeing editorial operations and social media, and covering breaking, local and community news.
Read Full Bio
Sara Tenenbaum,
Noel 91³Ô¹ÏÍø
Noel 91³Ô¹ÏÍø
Reporter
Noel 91³Ô¹ÏÍø is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined CBS News Chicago in December 2022.
Read Full Bio
Noel 91³Ô¹ÏÍø

/ CBS Chicago

Former presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden are among the big names who will be in Chicago Friday for Rev. Jesse Jackson's funeral.

Along with the former presidents, a spokesperson for the Jackson family said former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also be in attendance at the House of Hope on the city's Far South Side.

The homegoing service is being led by Dr. Charles Jenkins and Rev. James T. Meeks, the family said, and other notable speakers will include Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, U.S. Rep Maxine Waters, Chicago Cubs owner Tim Ricketts, Rabbi Sharon Brous and businessman Jim Reynolds.

"There's a line that he used. There's a hole where my heart used to be. And I think so many people feel that," Jenkins said. 

Jenkins and Pastor Charlie Dates, whose church is hosting the service and who was Jackson's former pastor, expect a full house. While the world knew Jackson as a leader, this pair knew him as a man. 

"Rev. Jackson treated me like a son. I met him almost 30 years ago," said Jenkins.

"The first time that I got invited to speak with him I was 17 at a King breakfast, and it was the largest platform quite frankly I'd had at that moment," Dates said. 

The family also said the service will feature performances from Jennifer Hudson, and gospel singers Bebe Winans and Pastor Marvin Winans.

"It's going to be a few hours of power-packed hope and magic. You'd almost be able to touch it," Dates said.

"You're going to feel the spirit. You're going to be inspired, uplifted," said Jenkins. 

The People's Celebration, as Friday's service has been titled, will be held at House of Hope at 752 E. 114th St. in Chicago. Doors open to the public at 9 a.m. and services begin at 11 a.m.

This homegoing is open to the public and will have general admission seating, no ticket needed. 

"Come," Dates said. "Don't let this just be a moment you watch on television or stream. Show up. We will never have another moment to celebrate such a world-changing leader like this one."

A private homegoing and celebration of life will be held Saturday for invited guests only at Rainbow PUSH Coalition Headquarters.

Jackson died on Feb. 17 at the age of 84 after being diagnosed with a rare neurological degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy. He was a towering icon of the Civil Rights Movement, working closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before his assassination, and spent decades in Chicago fighting for equal rights, social and business equity in the city.

He lay in honor at Rainbow PUSH Headquarters for two days last week before traveling to his home state of South Carolina, where he was born in 1941, to lie in state at the South Carolina capitol. 

How to watch Rev. Jesse Jackson's funeral

CBS News Chicago will be providing live coverage of Jackson's public funeral Friday and private services Saturday.

Friday:

  • What: The People's Celebration: Public Homegoing Service of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
  • Date: Friday, March 6, 2026
  • Time: Live streaming coverage starts at 10 a.m. CT from the House of Hope. The funeral services begin at 11 a.m. CT.
  • Online stream: Live on CBS News Chicago 24/7, the and on your mobile or streaming device.

Saturday:

  • What: Homegoing Celebration of Life 
  • Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
  • Time: CBS News Chicago will have coverage in our 9 a.m. broadcast leading up to the start of the service. Live streaming coverage starts at 10 a.m. CT when services begin.
  • Online stream: Live on CBS News Chicago 24/7, the  and on your mobile or streaming device.

Note: Streaming plans are subject to change.

For the latest updates on Jackson funeral coverage, live streams and local news, download the CBS News app and sign up for Chicago push alerts. 

In:

© 2026 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
const link = doc.createElement('link'); link.rel = 'stylesheet'; link.href = '/fly/fly/bundles/cbsnewscontent/css/cmp-banner.min.css?v=296763317a51cab90faa73f1bb146d5c'; doc.head.appendChild(link); doc.body.innerHTML = CONSENT_MESSAGE; } else { el.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', CONSENT_MESSAGE); } }); } function hidePrivacyMessage() { // Remove from the main document document.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); // Remove from inside any iframes document.querySelectorAll('iframe').forEach(iframe => { const doc = iframe.contentDocument || iframe.contentWindow.document; doc.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); }); } function activateGatedScripts() { // Handle both new format (cmp-gated-script) and old OneTrust/Ketch format (optanon-category-4) const gatedScripts = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('script.cmp-gated-script, script.optanon-category-4')); // Activate scripts sequentially with a small delay to avoid timing issues let delay = 0; gatedScripts.forEach(function(placeholder, index) { setTimeout(function() { // Skip if already processed if (placeholder.hasAttribute('data-cmp-processed')) { return; } placeholder.setAttribute('data-cmp-processed', 'true'); const newScript = document.createElement('script'); newScript.type = 'text/javascript'; // Try new format first (data-cmp-src), then fall back to old format (data-src) const src = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-src') || placeholder.getAttribute('data-src'); if (src) { newScript.src = src; } else if (placeholder.textContent) { // Inline script - just copy the content newScript.textContent = placeholder.textContent; } // Handle new format attributes (data-cmp-attrs) - for both inline and external scripts const attrs = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-attrs'); if (attrs) { const tempDiv = document.createElement('div'); tempDiv.innerHTML = '
<\/div>'; const tempAttrs = tempDiv.firstChild.attributes; for (let i = 0; i < tempAttrs.length; i++) { // For external scripts, allow defer/async. For inline scripts, skip them (not valid) if (src || (tempAttrs[i].name !== 'async' && tempAttrs[i].name !== 'defer')) { newScript.setAttribute(tempAttrs[i].name, tempAttrs[i].value); } } } // Copy other attributes from old OneTrust format for (let i = 0; i < placeholder.attributes.length; i++) { const attr = placeholder.attributes[i]; // Skip attributes we've already handled or don't want to copy if (!['class', 'data-src', 'data-type', 'data-cmp-src', 'data-cmp-attrs', 'data-cmp-processed', 'type', 'async', 'defer', 'src'].includes(attr.name)) { newScript.setAttribute(attr.name, attr.value); } } placeholder.parentNode.replaceChild(newScript, placeholder); // If external script, manually trigger window.onload handlers after it loads // This handles widgets that use window.onload for initialization if (src) { newScript.addEventListener('load', function() { // If page already loaded and script set a new onload handler, trigger it if (document.readyState === 'complete' && window.onload) { const originalOnload = window.onload; window.onload = null; // Clear temporarily to prevent loops originalOnload(); // Execute the handler } }); } }, delay); delay += 500; // 500ms delay between each script to allow full loading }); } cbsoptanon.onScriptsReady(function(cmp) { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (!allowed) { showPrivacyMessage(); } else { activateGatedScripts(); } }); cmp.ot.awaitInitialConsent(function(consent_model) { cmp.ot.addOnConsentChangedHandler(function() { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (allowed) { hidePrivacyMessage(); activateGatedScripts(); } else { showPrivacyMessage(); } }); }); }); });