PuLSE Postpones Feb. 27 Launch of Inaugural Bankole Thompson First Amendment Lecture Series to Honor Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Death

The PuLSE Institute is postponing the highly anticipated launch of the Bankole Thompson First Amendment and Social Change Lecture Series due to the recent death of civil rights titan and global statesman, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. The program was scheduled to take place virtually on Friday, Feb. 27, 4pm-6pm. Jackson died on Feb. 17. A series of national events to honor the life of the legendary civil rights leader will commence in Chicago on Feb. 26.

The annual lecture series is named after Bankole Thompson, the founder and dean of The PuLSE Institute and a nationally acclaimed journalist, social critic and standard-bearer for economic justice issues, who has been a champion of the First Amendment reflected in his body of work which demonstrates his commitment to speaking truth to power.

Thompson, who covered Jackson up-close for more than two decades was a close friend of the civil rights leader and aide to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 2018, Jackson himself personally presented Thompson with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s 2018 Let Freedom Ring Journalism Award at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary death of King. Jackson has praised Thompson as a preeminent voice of conscience and courage in the battle for economic justice.

Thompson is a twice-a-week opinion columnist at The Detroit News and host of the podcast Bankole’s Nation. He is one of the first Black editors in the nation to conduct a series of exclusive sit-down interviews with President Barack Obama.

The eminent journalist and standard-bearer for economic justice issues Bankole Thompson (center) receives the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s 2018 Let Freedom Ring Journalism Award from the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary death of Jackson’s mentor, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Standing next to Thompson is John Graves, the Chairman of the Rainbow PUSH Automotive Board. Jackson was a close friend of Thompson and regarded the journalist as an important ally. *Bankole Thompson photo*.

“Out of tremendous respect for the late civil rights leader and American icon, Reverend Jesse Jackson, whose celebration of life has been scheduled to begin on February 26 through March 7, The PuLSE Institute has postponed our inaugural First Amendment Lecture Series that had been previously scheduled to occur on that same date,” said Attorney Tina M. Patterson, the President of The PuLSE Institute. “Reverend Jackson, a globally respected leader for civil and human rights, was light in a world full of the darkness of prejudice, hate, discrimination, and poverty. Yet in spite of these forces of oppression, he never diminished his light and dared to shine at the highest levels of power, including as a presidential candidate in a highly influential national campaign. Jackson’s fierce determination, coupled with his courageous conviction and masterful communication, made him one of the nation’s leading forces for equality and an internationally laudable humanitarian.”

Patterson added, “As Jackson is fondly remembered encouraging and challenging us to “Keep Hope Alive”, The PuLSE Institute will heed his instruction and continue with our programming. Our inaugural First Amendment Lecture Series, named after our Founder Bankole Thompson, himself a close friend and ally of Reverend Jackson, will be rescheduled at a later date to be determined in the near future. Once finalized, we will announce the new date and look forward to the value we can provide as we move forward with our mission in the battle against economic injustice. Rest in peace and power to our beloved leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson.”

For his part, Thompson hailed Jackson as a moral giant.

“Rev. Jackson represented the undying quest for equality that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for during the Civil Rights Movement. His crusades for racial and economic justice were not only felt in the nation but all across the world. I had the distinguished and historic honor of being with him on so many occasions throughout the years and discussing critical issues with him regarding the poor and working class,” Thompson said. “We shared the public stage together many times at critical functions to champion economic justice issues and sometimes met privately for dinner to ponder on the challenges of the time and how to achieve a more perfect union. One of those times was on the eve of the funeral of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, when Rev. Jackson, invited me to ride with him in his vehicle so we could go have some soul food for dinner at Beans and Cornbread in Michigan. He was a very personable figure and a man who defined history. Our world is better because of Rev. Jackson’s legacy.”

Civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. and nationally acclaimed journalist Bankole Thompson on stage inside the Rackham Auditorium on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for a national symposium honoring Jackson’s more than five decades of global civil rights leadership. Thompson initiated the concept for the university to honor Jackson and moderated the Q&A session with Jackson, the highlight of the national symposium held in 2016, which marked Jackson’s last visit to the University of Michigan before he died. *Bankole Thompson photo*.

Last November as news of Jackson’s declining health began to capture the attention of the nation, Thompson did a video tribute to the civil rights leader, which one of his senior top aides indicated that Jackson watched from his hospital bed. The video presentation captured the many dimensions of his impact and the road that he and Thompson traveled over the years.