The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure in the American civil rights movement, died Tuesday at the age of 84.
While his influence was felt across the nation, Jackson forged a significant and recurring connection with Pasadena, visiting the city at pivotal moments to address issues of racial injustice, advocate for the marginalized, and challenge the city’s power structures.
Jackson’s involvement in Pasadena spanned decades, from a 1984 presidential campaign stop to a 2012 visit to address the police shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. He notably led a successful protest against the Tournament of Roses for its lack of diversity and comforted a grieving city from the pulpit of All Saints Episcopal Church in the aftermath of the 1992 riots. His repeated presence in Pasadena underscored the city’s importance as a microcosm of the broader American struggle for equality and justice that Jackson championed throughout his life…