McClinton, PLBC welcome civil rights icon Jesse Jackson to the state House
Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, and the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus welcomed the Rev. Jesse Jackson to the state Capitol this week.
Rep. Joanna E. McClinton October 23, 2024
HARRISBURG, Oct. 23 – Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, and the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus welcomed the Rev. Jesse Jackson to the state Capitol this week.
Jackson is a well-known civil rights leader, Baptist minister, international hostage negotiator and former presidential candidate. His visit to Harrisburg was focused on voting rights
“It was amazing to have Reverend Jackson visit the state House this week and almost surreal to have him spend some time with me in my office,” McClinton said. “His entire life has been dedicated to advancing freedom and equity and he has overcome so much adversity. His career is a model for what many of us can only dream of achieving.”
State Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, chairman of the PLBC, added, “Reverend Jackson has been a pivotal figure in the civil rights and voting rights movements, advocating for social justice and racial equality through grassroots activism and national campaigns. His leadership and unwavering commitment have helped amplify the voices of marginalized communities and shaped critical dialogues around civil rights issues in America.”
McClinton said that when Jackson was introduced in the House chamber, he received a standing ovation from both parties that lasted nearly a minute.
While in McClinton’s office the two leaders looked at a book about Jackson’s friend, former congressman and ambassador, Andrew Young. McClinton, who is the first woman and second African American to serve in the position of speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the nation’s oldest, continuously operating state legislative body, also presented Jackson with a gavel like the one she uses to maintain decorum in the House chamber.
Photos from Jackson’s visit can be found on Speaker McClinton’s Flickr site.