Jesse
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Famed Civil Rights Leader, Jesse Jackson, Speaker for Shaw University MLK Celebration

@SpectacularMag

RALEIGH, NC – The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., iconic civil rights activist, will be the speaker for Shaw University’s Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, on Thursday, January 24, 2019. The event begins at 11:00 am at the C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium located at 118 E. South Street. 

Jackson worked with Dr. King early in his career and has been a leading advocate for civil rights and social justice for more than 40 years. His contributions to the civil rights movement are numerous and well documented. Jackson is the founder of the Rainbow/Push Coalition and has been an influential figure in American politics since the early 1980s.

Jackson has long-standing ties with the Carolinas; he is originally from Greenville, S.C., and is an alumnus of North Carolina A&T State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology. Jackson is an ordained minister and often works to galvanize Black churches to become more actively involved in social activism.

In addressing the event’s theme, “Awakening the Dream,” Jackson likely will touch on his own experiences as well as the current political and social climate. Shaw University president Dr. Paulette Dillard said, “We are pleased and excited that Rev. Jackson will be here to share his story and his views with the Shaw University family. He has dedicated his life and career to service and has demonstrated his belief in the mission of HBCUs, so it is clear that Rev. Jackson shares the bedrock principals of Shaw University.”

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Shaw University, located in North Carolina’s vibrant Downtown Raleigh, is the first historically black institution of higher education in the Southern United States. Founded in 1865 by Dr. Henry Martin Tupper, Shaw is proud to be educating more than 1,400 students who will become the change agents of tomorrow. Shaw University is committed to advancing our mission with entrepreneurial thinking, positioning and presence, innovation, and customer care. Learn more at www.shawu.edu.