Obama's Promised Land?

I remember the hot summer of '63. I was 22 years old, leading demonstrations in Greensboro, N.C. to open up access to public facilities -- restaurants, movie theaters, all those establishments that had been closed to blacks for so long. Because we were disturbing the peace as defined by Jim Crow law, I went to jail.

We filled jails across the South that summer, but our enthusiasm was building toward something bigger. Late in August, all roads led to Washington for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. I asked my football coach if I could miss a few days of practice because I knew I had to be there.

On Aug. 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and proclaimed his dream of equality for our nation. He stood in the shadow of President Lincoln, the original emancipator, and dreamed of a day when a man would be judged by his character, not the color of his skin; a day when America would finally fulfill her broken promise of equality and freedom to all her citizens. The size of the crowd and the spirit of the moment were overwhelming. Dr. King did not disappoint.

Now, on the 45th anniversary of this historic speech, Barack Obama will take a monumental step toward fulfilling the Dream and mending the broken promise when he accepts the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party. I have the same feeling now that I had standing in that crowd 45 years ago, listening to those words of challenge and inspiration from Dr. King.

Barack brings hope. Barack brings the promise of change. He brings a broad vision for making America better. He is smart, capable, a man of integrity. He is a proven fighter for what is right, with a message of reconciliation and peace. He has the support of an intelligent and accomplished wife, Michelle. His nomination is a transformative moment in American history, an indication that the Dream can be realized and the promise fulfilled.

In 1964, Fannie Lou Hamer and others fought to have black delegates from the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party seated with the all-white Mississippi delegation at the Democratic convention. It was an effort to introduce broader representation into the party and was initially rejected. The party tried to protect the old order, but the new order would not be denied and a compromise was reached. In 2008, at the convention, we will witness an African American accepting the party's nomination. America has changed. America has become better. During the long primary season, we witnessed vivid signs of this change. Men across the country cast their votes for a woman. Whites supported a black candidate in massive numbers. It is a different, better America.

But America is at a turning point. We continue to pursue a war that is producing needless deaths, draining us of our financial resources and robbing us of our moral authority. Our national infrastructure crumbles -- levees in New Orleans, a bridge in Minnesota -- and we fail to make the investment necessary to fix it. We are failing our youth and jeopardizing our future greatness by letting our educational system deteriorate and responding by expanding our prison system: second-class schools, first-class jails.

We need the leadership Barack will bring. However, the burden of fulfilling the Dream, mending the broken promise, falls on all of us. I recall the story of a meeting that labor leader A. Philip Randolph had with President Franklin Roosevelt regarding a long list of discriminatory practices blacks were facing in society and the workplace. He clearly presented the case to the president, who listened carefully and responded. Roosevelt said: "I can't just give you the rights you seek. I wish I could. I agree with everything you've said to me. Now go out and make me do it." Barack will set the tone. He will provide the vision and inspiration to move forward. But it is up to us to do the work, to demand the change that must come if the Dream is to be fulfilled. We must make it happen.

Positive activism has always been the key component in the creative tension that leads to change. The tools are ours -- demonstration, legislation, litigation -- and each has a place in the work of building a just, equitable society. It is the effort of committed citizens engaging in positive activism that helps make a president great.

So, even now, we must continue to act. We can end this war, bring our people home and reinvest in America. We can commit to rebuilding our infrastructure, creating thousands of well-paying jobs in the process. We can build first-rate schools and end the procession of our young into the clutches of a massive for-profit prison system. We can stop babies from dying and children from going hungry, plants from closing, drugs and guns from flooding into our communities and hardworking, honest families from losing their homes to foreclosure.

Dr. King knew what he was risking when he took the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that day, 45 years ago. He knew what he was risking every day that he took the stage, every day that he ventured out to do battle against racism, ignorance, and evil. He often received death threats, but he never let that stand in the way of his holy mission.

As a fellow fighter who stood with Dr. King in the last moments before his death, and as a friend who saw the light fading from his eyes, I feel blessed to know that what will happen the night of Aug. 28, 2008, would make him very proud. But I also know he would tell us that we must not rest in pursuit of the Dream.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. is founder and president of RainbowPUSH Coalition Inc.

Originally published in the Washington Times.

For more Huffington Post coverage from the Democratic National Convention, visit our Politics @ the DNC page, our Democratic Convention Big News Page, and our HuffPost bloggers' Twitter feed, live from Denver.

Comments

[Paul Peete - Huffpost Blogger]

I was upset to see Rev. Jackson speak of Sen. Obama in light of his n-word and castration comment caught on mike at Fox. Rev. Jackson was showing jealousy of Obama and berated him for speaking of father's responsibility on Father's day when both were abandoned by their fathers.

I jogged with Rev. Jackson across the Golden Gate Bridge in support of a nurses strike a few years ago. He was eloquent then. At least his son Jesse Jr. has the makings of a great leader, but Rev. Jackson no longer should speak for or about black people or about Sen. Obama.

[mcthfg]

Can we stop using religious images when speaking about politics?

Your childish mythology masks real problems, and your religion can only divide people. You make me not want to vote for Obama because you're tying him to religion.

Dr. King, although a great man, was never elected. Apples and oranges.

[Whinger]

Obama shall make Martin's dream become reality!

[marylandtravelinman]

Rev Jackson brings, trying to recast his image after the horrible things (names) he said to a brother! Good Luck.

[Paul Peete - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you for bringing a moment of clarity md..man!
My comments in this regard have been censored since yesterday. It's as though we need a love fest for Jackson here. Look for my complete story regarding the incident soon to post on Huffpo, It will be highly enlightening about Freedom of Speech and censorship.

[JustAnotherScreenname]

Thank you for all your service to our country Rev. Jackson.

[VSamuels]

"As a fellow fighter who stood with Dr. King in the last moments before his death, and as a friend who saw the light fading from his eyes"


Very well stated, Rev. Jackson.

[Blain]

I'm not an emotional guy but I actually fought back tears as I watched Michelle Obama give her convention speech (my wife started crying about halfway through). I couldn't help thinking about the enormous historical significance of that moment and what it meant particularly to African Americans and to all Americans. I have a four year old daughter and I tried to imagine how proud I would be if that were my daughter up there. We have a long way to go but i believe that a brighter day is dawning and I thank Rev Jackson, Dr King and too many others who were/are on the front lines of our struggle for dignity and equality. Rev Jackson your work will never be forgotten!

[rcwblessed]

Well said, Reverend Jackson, and thank you for all that you do. Please lift the Obama family up in prayer. God bless, and

GodSpeed Obama/Biden '08!

[Pupadup4oBama]

"As a fellow fighter who stood with Dr. King in the last moments before his death, and as a friend who saw the light fading from his eyes"

Rev Jackson, this brought tears to MY eyes...I can't imagine what you went through watching your beloved friend pass away.

I hope you can see the fire reignited in Obama's eyes.
Thank you for this touching post.

PS your son was absolutely brilliant last night...he obviously has your passion.

[BCubedReg]

Very well said. I hope for the future of America you are right, but I put no faith in the American people to do the right thing or we wouldn't be in Iraq. we wouldn't have a mortgage crisis.. failing schools, energy woes, rampant unemployment, environmental issues, dglobal warming, and on and on and on.

McCain is now leading in the polls... nothing will change.

[army193]

Jesse, I have always be American that just happen to be white...I see Obama and Michelle as Americans that just happen to be African-Americans and they will help us make Americans a better place for all. This was set up by many great people that came before us...Thank you for your hard work to make American a better place. We are just a few month away from adding one more brick to a more perfect union.

[luvangelHussein330]

Thank you Rev. Keep Obama in your prayers....

[RepugsOut08]

As a young white kid growing up in the 50s and 60s, I still remember the segregation and unfairness that African-Americans faced in my city.
We've certainly come a long way thanks to the efforts of brave patriotic Americans like you and Dr. King, but the subtle racial attacks leveled against Barack Obama even at this historic moment, as well as the plight in our inner cities and the Katrina fiasco, show much work needs to be done.
Barack is many times characterized as a dreamer with unrealistic goals. I have never understood this, unless working towards a better nation for everyone is now deemed an unworthy or trite goal. When did that happen?
The message that I always get from Obama is that the road will be difficult, and that he will need all of us working together to turn this nation into the promise it was always meant to be. Your call for activism is exactly the right message. One person can make a difference, but it takes many people working together to make any vision a reality.
By the way. This won't be the first time I've voted for an African-American president. I voted for you in my state primary during your presidential campaign. I was equally inspired by your message of hope and change at the time, and very disappointed that the times had not caught up with the visionary. Barack stands on your shoulders. Keep fighting the good fight, and keep hope alive.

[Pat-Pat]

RepubsOut8­......Man.­.....I couldn't have said it any better. Your words touched my heart.

Thank you for that.

[tgstk2]

Many thanks for this eloquent essay, Rev. Jackson. When Obama's nomination becomes official on Thursday, our society will have taken a quantum leap towards achieving King's dream. But, I'm not expecting the work towards a truly equal and just society to get any easier at that point. The work is truly never ending.

For the moment, Obama is the man we are pinning our hopes on to take us further down that path; he is the one we will look for to encourage us and challenge us to be the best Americans, the best humans, we can be. I pray that even now the next generation of Kings, Obamas and Jacksons is being inspired to take up the torch; that seeds are being planted that will grow into leaders and activists with the passion and courage to lead our world through the wilderness to the promised land.

[blueskybigstar]

That was one beautiful essay. I wish to see more of your writing.