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Rev. Jackson Honored in South Africa;  Receives honorary doctorate & meets with Nelson Mandela

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, returned from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa with a honorary Doctor of Literature degree for his distinguished achievements in the advancement of social justice.

His speech, addressed to the graduating class of 2010, was entitled “Dream Where the Big Boats Are”. Rev. Jackson reminded the audience that, as with African Americans in the United States, they are free but not equal and their biggest challenge is to achieve equality. Freedom was not the goal of the civil rights movement nor was it for the ANC. Freedom was a prerequisite and equality is the goal.

During his 6-day-visit, Rev. Jackson met with a number of the country’s major stakeholders in Durban and Johannesburg, including Presidnt Jacob Zuma; Former President Nelson Mandela; Ms. Baleka Mbete, African National Congress (ANC) national chairperson; Dr. Zweli Mkhize, the premier of KwaZulu-Natal; the mayor of Durban, and other dignitaries.

Rev. Jackson’s meetings were focused on improving United State and South Africa relations and also building a stronger alliance between the U.S. minority and African American Diaspora in education, labor, business and government.

During a meeting with the ANC leadership, he reminded them of the shared commonality between African Americans and black South Africans as both people suffered during the struggle for freedom. He calls upon the ANC to renew and strengthen its long and historic relations with its African American allies, especially as they prepare to celebrate their hundred year anniversary.

He shared the same message with President Zuma who invited Rev. Jackson to be his guest at a meeting with 500 director generals of South Africa.

Having championed the plight of the poor and marginalized for decades in the United States and across the globe, Rev. Jackson’s ideological perspective is closely in tune to many of the challenges facing South Africa.

During his visit to South Africa, Rev. Jackson met with a group of African Americans who have organized themselves into a U.S. African Business Alliance. The host committee includes a number of men from the Morehouse Alumni Association of Southern Africa, Musa Capital, Africa Venture Partners, GRD Pamoja Consulting, and one of Rev Jackson’s old friends and former presidential campaign organizers, Gene Jackson.

In the spirit of building bridges, Rev. Jackson was hosted by eThekwini Municipality Chicago-Durban Sister City Committee, Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal, Durban’s Chamber of Commerce & Industry, South African Tourism, the Mail & Guardian, and a number of religious leaders and businesses from around South Africa. The groups’ meetings covered a wide array of topics outlining the exciting investment opportunities and developments currently being undertaken throughout the country.

In line with the visit’s core focus, Rev Jackson devoted a large amount of his time to education. He visited the University of Zululand where Professor Fikile Mazibuko had him address a thousand of her students and encourage them to focus on their education and on their immeasurable potential to develop solutions to the challenges facing today’s world.

Rev. Jackson traveled the Inanda Heritage Route and visited a museum where he lectured to a group of youth about the Civil Rights Movement and how “separate but equal” school segregation in the US was fought and defeated.

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity. The organization is headquartered at 930 E. 50th St. in Chicago. For more information about the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, please visit http://www.rainbowpush.org or call (773) 373-3366

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