Reverend Jackson stands among the foremost leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, advancing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the broader struggle against racial injustice, discrimination, and economic exclusion. He was also a strong believer in participatory democracy and ran twice for President to advance his vision of social justice.

Through courage and unwavering conviction, he advanced the causes of voting rights, workers’ rights, and economic justice, offering hope and empowerment to oppressed peoples worldwide, including across Africa. African workers hail and appreciate his legacies.
ITUC-Africa recognises that Reverend Jackson’s life epitomises the inseparable link between freedom, dignity, and labour rights. His enduring message — that justice must be both political and economic — continues to guide the global trade union movement in confronting inequality, marginalisation, and exploitation. This message is more apt for Africa as our continent is witnessing a renewed and violent grab of its mineral resources naked and criminal threats to its sovereignty, safety, self-determination, dignity, and future. Many African men and women continue to face hardship in meeting their daily needs, while structures of global inequality and economic exploitation persist.

From the above context, the spirit of Reverend Jackson calls upon us to remain resolute — to strengthen self-determination, defend social and economic justice, and resist all forms of domination and exclusion that undermine the dignity of our peoples.

We agree with the African Union that the struggle against racial discrimination and injustice everywhere is part of the broader Pan-African quest for human dignity, equality, and self-determination. Reverend Jackson’s legacy stands firmly within this shared historical tradition.
To truly honour Reverend Jesse Jackson is to continue the struggle for justice — to stand firmly against poverty, inequality, and economic subjugation, and to uphold the dignity of workers and oppressed peoples everywhere. We recommit to this struggle and shall prosecute it with hard work and pride.

Hamba kahle. Lalani ngoxolo. Rest in power.

Issued in Lomé, Togo, on 18th February 2026, by Akhator Joel Odigie, General Secretary, for and on behalf of the teeming members of the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa)