From former presidents to an NBA Hall of Famer to prominent church pastors, stories of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.s influence on politics, corporate boardrooms and picket lines loomed large Friday at a celebration honoring the la te civil rights leader.Thousands of people gathered at a church on Chicago's South Side to pay a final public tribute to Jackson.Barack Obama said Jackson's presidential runs in the 1980s set the stage for other Black leaders, including his own successful 2009 presidency and re-election.The message he sent to a 22-year-old child of a single mother with a funny name, an outsider, was that maybe there wasnt any place or any room where we didnt belong, Obama said. He paved the road for so many others to follow."Obama, joined by two other former Democratic presidents, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton, at a celebration of life for Jackson, received the loudest round of applause as the three entered the chamber.We are living in a time when it can be hard to hope, Obama said. Each day we wake up to some new assault to our democratic institutions. Another setback to the idea of the rule of law, an offense to common decency. Every day you wake up to things you just didnt think were possible.Each day we are told by folks in high office to fear each other, said Obama, referring to the current Republican leadership in Washington.Clinton said Jackson made him a better president. He knew change came from the inside out," Clinton said.Former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke Friday.President Donald Trump, who praised Jackson on social media after he died and also shared photos of the two of them together, was not attending the service, according to his public schedule issued by the White House.Thousands attend Jackson memorial serviceThe event honors the protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate and follows memorial services that drew large crowds in Chicago and South Carolina, where Jackson was born. Fridays celebration at an influential Black church with a 10,000-seat arena is expected to be the largest.Crowds of attendees waited in long lines outside the church on the citys South Side as television screens played excerpts of some of Jacksons most famous speeches. Inside, vendors sold pins with his 1984 presidential slogan and hoodies with his I Am Somebody mantra.A prerecorded video address of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared on auditorium screens as attendees continued to file into the chamber.Sanders praised Jacksons dual presidential bids as an unprecedented effort to bridge divides along race and class. The Vermont progressive, who twice mounted unsuccessful bids for the Democratic presidential nomination, praised Jackson for inspiring enthusiasm across racial and age divides.Along with a slew of Illinois elected leaders, notable attendees included actor and producer Tyler Perry, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and political activist and theologian Cornel West.Marketing professional Chelsia Bryan said Friday that she decided to attend the memorial service because it was a chance to be part of something historic.As a Black woman, knowing that someone pretty much gave their life, dedicated their life to make sure I can do the things that I can do now, hes worth honoring, Bryan said.RELATED NEWS | Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson dies at 84 after battle with neurodegenerative diseaseJackson Jr.: Everyone welcomeJesse Jackson Jr. said all were welcome to celebrate his fathers life.Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative, right wing, left wing because his life is broad enough to cover the full spectrum of what it means to be an American, Jackson Jr. said last month. Dad would have wanted us to have a great meeting to discuss our differences, to find ways of moving forward and moving together.The elder Jackson died last month at age 84 after battling a rare neurological disorder that affected his mobility and ability to speak. Family members say he continued coming into the office until last year and communicated through hand signals. His final public appearances included the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.Sitting in the crowd was 90-year-old Mary Lovett. She said Jacksons advocacy inspired her many times, from when she moved from Mississippi to Chicago in the 1960s, taught elementary school and became a mom. She twice voted for Jackson during both of his presidential runs and appreciated how he always spoke up for underrepresented people. Hes gone, but I hope his legacy lives, she said. I hope we can remember what he tried to teach us.RELATED STORY | Rev. Jesse Jackson returns home to South Carolina to lie in stateJackson's service was to the poor, underrepresentedJackson's pursuits were countless, taking him to all corners of the globe: Advocating for the poor and underrepresented on issues including voting rights, health care, job opportunities and education. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders, and through Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms, pressuring executives to make America a more open and equitable society.His son, Yusef Jackson, who runs the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, recalled how his father carried a well-worn Bible but also showed his faith by showing up to picket lines.He lived a revolutionary Christian faith rooted in justice, nonviolence and the moral righteousness, Yusef Jackson said Friday. He was deeply involved in the political struggles of his time, but his gift was that he could rise above them. Its not about the left wing or the right wing. It takes two wings to fly. For him, the goal was always the moral center.Jacksons services in Chicago and South Carolina drew civic leaders, school groups and everyday people who said they were touched by Jacksons work, from scholarship programs to advocating for inmates. Several states flew flags at half-staff in his honor.Services in Washington, D.C., were tabled after a request to allow Jackson to lie in honor in the United States Capitol rotunda was denied by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who said the space is typically reserved for select officials, including former presidents. Details on a future event have not been made public. ...read more read less