On a gray, rainy Friday morning, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore arrived in Chicago to pay respects to a longtime hero.
Moore, the first Black governor of Maryland and widely seen as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, was among the scores of high-profile dignitaries who streamed into the House of Hope in Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood to honor the life of the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Jackson, a civil rights leader and former presidential contender whose activism and leadership spanned decades, served as an inspiration and role model, helping shape him into the leader he is today, Moore said in an interview with NBC News.
“There’s something about being unafraid, particularly in moments of trial, that I think not just makes your legacy enduring, but also reminds you that that’s the assignment that God places on all of us,” Moore said.
Moore said he grew up in a family of “preachers and teachers,” creating a backdrop to lessons he drew from Jackson, who brought together faith in God, public service and activism.
“To see someone who is of the ministry, who then also understood that you cannot talk about God’s love if you’re also not addressing man’s brutality on Earth,” Moore said. “He did it so beautifully. And he crafted it all together, basically saying that for everybody who was of the faith, that you, by definition, are a civil rights activist, because you are someone who believes in God’s love, and that God’s love is universal.”
Moore's reflections on Jackson came as thousands of people paid tribute to the late reverend on Friday. The celebration of life featured several former presidents, including Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Former Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris also attended. After Jackson's death in February, President Donald Trump praised him.
"He was a real hero and I just want to pay my respects to Rev. Jesse Jackson," Trump said at a Black History month event, adding that Jackson was a “force of nature” with “lots of personality, grit and street smarts.”
At the funeral Friday, Obama appeared to direct harsh remarks at Trump without naming him.
“Everywhere we see greed and bigotry being celebrated, and bullying and mockery masquerading as strength. We see science and expertise denigrated, while ignorance and dishonesty and cruelty and corruption are reaping untold rewards. Every single day. We see that, and it’s hard to hope,” he said.
Obama urged the crowd to follow Jackson’s example and be “messengers of hope” and “messengers of change.”
Moore reflected on the moment Democrats find themselves in today as they battle what they call overreach by the Trump administration, pointing to redistricting efforts and the president’s "assault" on democracy. He said those in his party would do well to follow in Jackson's footsteps and fight harder to protect constitutional rights.
Moore has been unsuccessful in his bid to redraw the congressional districts in his home state, an attempt to push back on Trump’s efforts to do the same in Republican-dominated states. Lawmakers, including those in his own party, have so far thwarted Moore's attempts to redraw the state's map in a way that would give Democrats a better chance to expand House seats and potentially win control of Congress.
Republicans in states like Texas and North Carolina have put new maps into play that aim to benefit their party. In California, voters approved a measure that would set a path for Democrats to do the same.
Moore had harsh words for those who put up a blockade to his redistricting efforts — including his fellow Democrats.
“We’re here to celebrate the legacy of Rev. Jackson, someone who fought and sacrificed and made things better for us,” Moore said. “So I don’t understand in this moment, where we would watch one of the largest pullbacks on our democracy that has taken place right in front of our face, and think that a reminder is to sit there and do nothing and just let it happen.”
“I come from a background where we are used to watching policies being made to harm us and not being a part of the policymaking conversation,” he continued. “So I think the ire on those who chose to sit quietly inside this moment, I think it will rain heavy, and I don’t care what political party they’re a part of.”
