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If there is anybody in America who deserves to finally retire, its the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

We know the jobs not finished, that racism still flourishes, that voting rights are under assault and that the U.S. Supreme Court just took a wrecking ball to affirmative action.

Its no secret that police brutality continues, that were losing the war on poverty and that Black people suffered more than anybody else through the coronavirus pandemic.

But what more can we ask of him?

Rev. Jesse Jackson stands on Feb. 14, 2018 on the motel balcony in Memphis, Tenn. where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. (Mark Humphrey/AP)

He was there at the start of the 1960s, sitting in at segregated lunch counters with other college students

He was there, in Memphis, with Martin Luther King Jr,, talking up to King on the balcony when the fatal shot rang out.

He was there, months later, for the Poor Peoples Campaign that King had started. He was elected mayor of the Resurrection City protest camp on the National Mall, and told the crowd, I am somebody.

He delivered the eulogy for Jackie Robinson.

He fought for economic empowerment, for the release of hostages held abroad, and for the end of apartheid in South Africa.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stands with other civil rights leaders on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., on April 3, 1968, a day before he was assassinated at approximately the same place. From left are Hosea Williams, Jesse Jackson, King, and Ralph Abernathy. (Charles Kelly/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

He ran for president of the United States, and told us to keep hope alive

And we did. He didnt win in 1984. He didnt win in 1988. But his inspiring and credible campaigns laid the groundwork for a political movement that gave birth to Barack Obama.

What more can we ask?

The mantle has long been passed. The Rev Al Sharpton has for years been the most prominent civil rights activist.

But he learned at the feet of Jesse Jackson, and, like his mentor, he has made mistakes along the way.

Jackson called New York City Hymietown, and the moral leader fathered a child out of wedlock. He allegedly smeared Kings blood on his shirt before talking about his death on TV, and took a crude swipe at Obama in the months leading up to Obamas historic election win.

But the good far outweighs the bad. Its not even close.

A brace of plow mules drawing the farm wagon bearing the mahogany casket of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., along the funeral procession route in Atlanta, Ga., April 9, 1968. Reverend Jesse Jackson, in green, and Andrew Young, at the left corner of the casket, are among some of the mourners. (AP)

He has planted and nurtured seeds that are growing beyond his own organization, said Sharpton, who became a Jackson disciple as a boy preacher at the age of 12. We hope to continue in a way that makes him proud.

Jackson, 81, announced last week that he is stepping down from the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, his Chicago-based civil rights perch.

His successor was scheduled to be announced at a weekend convention that includes a celebration of the 35th anniversary of his 1988 presidential campaign.

Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to address the convention on Sunday.

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His commitment is unwavering, and he will elevate his lifes work by teaching ministers how to fight for social justice and continue the freedom movement, the organization said in a statement.

Jackson has been slowed in recent years by health issues, including a Parkinsons Syndrome diagnosis that he announced in 2017.

Rev. Jesse Jackson photographed in Chicago in 2018. (Teresa Crawford/AP)

Im going to make a transition pretty soon, Jackson told Fox 32 in Chicago. Ive been doing this stuff for 64 years. I was 18 years old.

Jackson said he would work with the new leadership team through the change.

I want to see us grow and prosper, he said. We have the ability to build on what weve established over the years.

Jackson will forever be linked and compared to King. But he did manage to accomplish something that King could never do. He got old.

He didnt make it past the mountaintop either, but he did keep hope alive.

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Rev. Jesse Jackson kept MLK's hope and dream alive - New York Daily News

Today (July 16) marks the second anniversary of Biz Markies death. Widely known as the Clown Prince of Hip Hop, Markie, best known for his chart-topping 1989 smash hit Just a Friend, always separated himself from the pack in hip-hop with his exuberance and positivity, which those close to him emphasized even after his death.

Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Markie was well-respected by his 80s and 90s rap peers, having collaborated with legends Beastie Boys and Slick Rick, as well as making appearances in sitcoms and comedies like In Living Color, Men in Black II, The Andy Milonakis Show, and more.

In early 2020, though, just after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Markie was hospitalized due to complications with his case of type 2 diabetes. Later in the year, he went into a diabetic coma and had a stroke, which led to him being placed in a rehabilitation facility. However, he was not able to fully recover from this.

When July 2021 rolled around, he was still in bad shape, and rumors of his death even began to spread throughout social media on July 1. But, his representative denied this, saying he was still in the hands of medical personnel. The news of Biz Markies death is not true, Biz is still under medical care, surrounded by professionals who are working hard to provide the best healthcare possible, his rep told Rolling Stone.

Two weeks later, though, Markie would ultimately pass away at the age of 57, with his wife Tara Hall holding his hand during his last breath. Condolences from all across the entertainment industry rolled in, most notably from the Obama family, Questlove, LL Cool J, Missy Elliott, MC Hammer, Kirk Franklin, and more.

Shortly after his death, Markies funeral would be held at Patchogue Theatre in Long Island and would be attended by famed reverend Al Sharpton, and iconic musicians Ice-T, Fat Joe, and Montell Jordan. At the service, Markies wife would share beautiful words about the late emcee, as she depicted how much of a ray of sunshine he was at all times.

The thing Im going to miss the most about him was every time he would see me, his face would just light up with that Chiclet, toothy smile, she said. He made me laugh every day. That is not hyperbole. That is a fact.

Photo by David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Behind the Death of Biz Markie - American Songwriter

CADILLAC Bullying and what it looked like during the 2022-2023 school year is what the Cadillac Area Public Schools Board of Education will be learning about Monday.

CAPS Superintendent Jennifer Brown is scheduled to present the annual bullying report to the board of education. During last years presentation, Brown informed the board there were more than 11 incidents of bullying or harassment, while the year before, the district had 20. Those incidents were based on 174 days of instruction during the school year.

Brown said the district has made investments in K-12 social-emotional learning curriculum and the plan is to continue to do that moving forward.

We are going to increase access to mental and behavioral health services and not because of bullying but because of the districts efforts to address the increase in student needs in that area, she said.

Every school district is required to present a bullying report to the board of education and must submit it to the state as part of a larger School Infrastructure Database report, which is a compliance report about all disciplines.

The School Infrastructure Database is one of the core data sets of the Michigan Education Information System. The SID is used by Michigans public schools to report data related to crime and safety, dual enrollment and instructional technology.

Districts are required to report the number of incidents of truancy in Field 4A of the SID. The field was added as a result of Matt Eplings Safe School Law, which requires the reporting of all incidents of bullying, including cyberbullying, that take place on school property or at school-sponsored activities.

The CAPS board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Monday at CAPS Central Office, 421 S. Mitchell St.

CHICAGO (AP) The Rev. Jesse Jackson plans to step down from leading the Chicago civil rights organization Rainbow PUSH Coalition he founded in 1971, his sons congressional office said Friday.

A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson confirmed the long-time civil rights leader would be retiring from the organization.

The elder Jackson, a civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate, plans to announce his decision on Sunday during the organizations annual convention, Rep. Jackson told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Jonathan Jackson, an Illinois Democrat, said his father has forever been on the scene of justice and has never stopped fighting for civil rights and that will be his mark upon history.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who will turn 82 in October, has remained active in civil rights in recent years despite health setbacks.

He announced in 2017 that he had begun outpatient care for Parkinsons disease two years earlier. In early 2021, he had gallbladder surgery and later that year was treated for COVID-19 including a stint at a physical therapy-focused facility. He was hospitalized again in November 2021 for a fall that caused a head injury.

Jackson, a protg of the Rev. Martin Luther King, broke with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1971 to form Operation PUSH originally named People United to Save Humanity a sweeping civil rights organization based on Chicagos South Side.

The organization was later renamed the Rainbow PUSH Coalition with a mission ranging from encouraging corporations to hire more minorities to voter registration drives in communities of color. Its annual convention is set for this weekend in Chicago.

Jackson has long been a powerful voice in American politics.

Until Barack Obamas election in 2008, Jackson was the most successful Black candidate for the U.S. presidency, winning 13 primaries and caucuses for the Democratic nomination in 1988.

Jackson has helped guide the modern civil rights movement on a wide variety of issues, including voting rights and education.

He stood with the family of George Floyd at a memorial for the Black man murdered in 2020 by a white police officer, whose death forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism. Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called Jackson an architect of the soul of Chicago in a statement Friday.

Through decades of service, he has led the Rainbow PUSH Coalition at the forefront of the struggle for civil rights and social justice. His faith, his perseverance, his love, and his relentless dedication to people inspire all of us to keep pushing for a better tomorrow, said Johnson, who was endorsed by Jackson when he ran for mayor earlier this year.

Al Sharpton, president and founder of the National Action Network, said in a statement that he had spoken to Jackson on Friday morning and told him that we will continue to glean from him and learn from him and duplicate him in whatever our organizations and media platforms are. Because he has been an anchor for me and many others.

Sharpton called Jackson his mentor, adding: The resignation of Rev. Jesse Jackson is the pivoting of one of the most productive, prophetic, and dominant figures in the struggle for social justice in American history.

___

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CAPS board to get annual bullying report Monday - Cadillac News

EXCLUSIVE: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis political team hit back Friday night after Al Sharpton criticized the 2024 presidential hopeful during a eulogy for a man who died in the New York City subway system.

New York authorities said Jordan Neely,30, died on May 1 from compression of the neck after he was placed in a chokehold by Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old Marine veteran, who is charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter.

DeSantis, also a veteran, praised Penny on Tuesday for taking action to protect others, saying, "I think to be able to step in as a good Samaritan and protect people I think that thats something that was the right thing to do. And I dont think he should be prosecuted."

Sharpton gave a eulogy for Neely at Harlems Mount Neboh Baptist Church Friday morning, slamming DeSantis for his comments.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Al Sharpton (Fox News)

NEW YORK DEMS TURN ON EACH OTHER HOMELESS MAN'S SUBWAY DEATH: JORDAN NEELY WAS LYNCHED

"I know, Governor DeSantis, that you're putting black history and LGBTQ and Latino out of the school, but I have a Bible to put in the governor's office," Sharpton said. "Because apparently, you don't know what the Good Samaritan was. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samritan."

DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin slammed Sharpton for using his eulogy to attack the governor.

"Democrats never miss an opportunity to take a political jab and try to further divide our country even at a funeral," Griffin told Fox News Digital. "Save your breath, Rev. Sharpton. These attacks simply don't work on Governor DeSantis. He is not afraid to speak the truth."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks after signing three education bills on the campus of New College of Florida in Sarasota, Fla. on Monday, May 15, 2023. (Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden prepares to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., Sunday, March 5, 2023, to commemorate the 58th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," a landmark event of the civil rights movement. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

JORDAN NEELY DEATH: AL SHARPTON SAYS THEY PUT THEIR ARMS AROUND ALL OF US IN FUNERAL SPEECH

Sharpton said during Neely's funeral that "they put their arms around all of us."

"We're not in here because of natural causes, we're here because of unnatural policies," Sharpton said.

Fox News' Adam Sabes contributed to this report.

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DeSantis team fires back after Sharpton slams GOP governor at Neely funeral - Fox News

Jordan Neely

Veteran civil rights activist says what happened to Jordan was a crime as mourners gather to remember man, 30, killed on subway

Guardian staff and agency

Fri 19 May 2023 14.04 EDT

Jordan Neely was screaming for help, the Rev Al Sharpton told friends, family members and civil rights leaders gathered to mourn the former Michael Jackson impersonator who died on the New York subway system.

Neely, who had been struggling with mental illness and lacking housing in recent years, was killed when passengers restrained him. A fellow subway rider pinned him to the floor of a subway car in a chokehold that lasted several minutes, and Neelys death has set off a fresh debate about vigilantism, homelessness, racism and public safety in the city.

At the funeral at a Harlem church on Friday, Sharpton railed against vigilantism and called for more support for the mans family.

What happened to Jordan was a crime, and this family shouldnt have to stand by themselves, the New York politician and civil rights activist said at the service, which was attended by officials including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The fatal struggle was recorded on video by an onlooker who said 30-year-old Neely, who was Black, had been yelling on the subway train as he begged for money but had not attacked anyone.

Last week the man who pinned and choked Neely, Daniel Penny, who is white and a military veteran, was charged with manslaughter by the Manhattan district attorney. Pennys lawyers say he was acting to protect himself and other passengers after Neely made threatening statements.

Penny, 24, kept Neely in a chokehold long after Neely stopped moving and at least one rider implored him to release the man. Police officials found Neely unconscious, and he was pronounced dead at hospital. The citys medical examiner deemed Neelys death a homicide.

On Friday morning in Harlem, the majority Black neighborhood steeped in civil rights history, Sharpton told mourners Neelys life should be celebrated but we should not ignore how he died.

Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy at Harlems Mount Neboh Baptist church, said Neely died not because of natural causes but because of unnatural policies.

Neelys killing and Pennys subsequent arrest and arraignment in court, which did not take place until almost two weeks after Neely died, polarized New Yorkers and people beyond.

Many said Penny was quick to use unjustified deadly force on a Black man who posed no real threat. There were demonstrations in the subway and on the streets of New York in the days after Neely was killed.

Others argue that Penny was trying to protect people on the train and shouldnt be punished, with these arguments part of a growing right-leaning trend to loudly defend and even champion Penny.

Sharpton noted that Floridas Republican governor Ron DeSantis, expected to run for the White House, called Penny a good Samaritan last week and that he shared a fundraising link for Pennys legal defense.

Sharpton said the parable of the good Samaritan is about coming to the aid of someone in need.

A good Samaritan helps those in trouble, Sharpton said. They dont choke him out.

While Neely had a history of disruptive behavior, friends said they dont believe he would have harmed anyone if Penny had let him be.

People keep criminalizing people that need help, Sharpton said. They dont need abuse, they need help.

Local elected officials including congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the New York lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, were among the hundreds attending the funeral, which was at the same church where the funeral for Neelys mother, Christie Neely, was held after she was murdered when Jordan was 14.

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Jordan Neely was screaming for help, Al Sharpton says in funeral eulogy - The Guardian US