When Jerry Thomas learned that Rev. Jesse Jackson had died, grief quickly gave way to gratitude.
“Wow, we had six decades where our society has been blessed with the presence of a Jesse Jackson, and I think we will appreciate this for years to come,” Thomas said.
Thomas, a longtime resident of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff who now lives in Glenview, worked and advised Jackson for about 25 years in communications roles. From his vantage point inside the organization, he viewed Jackson as a transformative figure who helped guide the nation from the civil rights struggles of earlier generations to the complex social and political challenges of today.
“Jesse Jackson was made for the moment,” Thomas said. “He was a tremendous advocate for human rights, civil rights, social justice and fairness during our lifetime.”
Thomas first drew inspiration from Jackson while growing up in Newark, New Jersey. He recalls seeing Jackson featured on the covers of Ebony and Jet magazines that often sat on his family’s coffee table, and being particularly moved by Jackson’s call to “Keep Hope Alive.”
Inspired to follow a similar path, Thomas enrolled at Howard University with public service in mind. While there, however, he shifted course and decided to pursue a career in journalism.
After graduating, Thomas moved to the Chicago area to work for Pioneer Press. A few months later, he relocated to Rochester, New York, in the mid-1980s, where he interviewed Jackson for the first time. Jackson had been campaigning to secure the release of an Associated Press reporter from the Rochester area who was being held hostage in Lebanon.
Thomas came away impressed and sensed he would like to work for Jackson one day.
He later worked for several newspapers, including the Newark Star-Ledger and the Boston Globe, before joining the Chicago Tribune in 1990, where he frequently covered urban affairs — a beat that brought him into contact with Jackson on multiple occasions.
When Thomas left the Tribune in the late 90s, Jackson — familiar with his reporting — hired him as director of communications for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
“He lifted me right up,” Thomas said.
Thomas joined Jackson during a period when the civil rights leader was weighing a potential third run for the White House in 2000, a bid he ultimately did not pursue. Thomas remained in the communications role for about three years. In 2002, he launched his own public relations firm and resumed working with Jackson on specific projects, including speechwriting, media relations and commentary preparation.
Thomas described Jackson as a “master teacher,” though he acknowledged the job was demanding — almost military-like in its pace and discipline. Jackson, he said, was a global presence and a voracious consumer of news, often reading several newspapers each day.
“It was demanding. It consumed you,” Thomas said. “It’s the kind of field that can eat you alive. But if you learned how to balance it and pace yourself, it prepared you for every aspect of life I’ve walked into since.”
Days often began with 5 a.m. phone calls as Jackson and his staff prepared for meetings and events. Jackson expected his team to anticipate every detail and avoid surprises. If he was meeting with corporate leaders, Thomas said, staff would prepare extensive background — board members, major shareholders and the company’s broader interests.
“You were constantly prepping on every issue,” he said.
Even so, Thomas remains in awe of how Jackson managed his global responsibilities.
“He was made for that,” Thomas said. “It’s not a job you can just walk into. That’s why you don’t see anyone doing it now. He worked hard to be a global leader. He was on top of everything.”
Jackson was also deeply involved in shaping his public messaging, Thomas said. If an interview was scheduled, Jackson wanted to know about the journalist — what they had written recently and what angle they might pursue. Still, he did not shy away from difficult questions.
“He knew how to pivot away from things that were controversial, as best as he could,” Thomas said.
Jackson faced public criticism throughout his career, but Thomas said he confronted it directly.
“He was not perfect. Nobody is perfect. That’s not an expectation we should put on anybody,” Thomas said. “He would pray and then prepare to address whatever controversy there was, and he dealt with it head on.”
While acknowledging Jackson’s high expectations, Thomas said he was also approachable and personally supportive.
“He was always there for my kids and me,” Thomas said.
Thomas believes Jackson’s influence extended well beyond politics as well into business, sports, journalism and other sectors of American – and global – life.
“You have to look at what his advocacy did for society,” Thomas said. “Back then it was tense and it was a battle. But if you look at it now, I think most people have to appreciate Black America because of a leader like Reverend Jesse Jackson.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
