Rev. Jesse Jackson remembered through key quotes that shaped his legacy

A roundup of notable quotes from the Rev. Jesse Jackson highlights his decades-long advocacy for civil rights, voting access, education and economic justice.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson died Tuesday at the age of 84. He was known as a dynamic orator and a tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized. Jackson led the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1980s. This piece collects notable quotes that helped define his politics and public legacy. Notable quotes: - "I Am — Somebody": a poem he popularized as a rallying cry in the 1960s and which he brought to a 1972 episode of Sesame Street. - "Diploma in one hand, voter registration in the other": a line from his 1970s PUSH Excel speech linking education and voting power. - "Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result": a contrast he used to distinguish sympathy from action. - "America is more like a quilt": a 1984 Democratic National Convention remark framing the nation as diverse pieces held by a common thread. - "Keep hope alive": a repeated exhortation at the 1988 Democratic convention as he sought the party’s nomination. - "A bridge that leads us from racial battleground to economic common ground": remarks at the 2008 dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge calling for economic opportunity and healing. Summary: These excerpts underline recurring themes in his public work: dignity, voting access, education, economic justice and coalition-building. Undetermined at this time.