A Jesse Jackson Tribute

Marcus Garcia Editorial
March 23, 2026
A tribute ceremony honoring Jesse Jackson was held by the Haitian community in Miami on Saturday, March 21. The renowned civil rights leader and strong advocate for the Haitian diaspora and Haiti passed away on February 27 at the age of 84—having, as the usual expression goes, departed in peace. A small group within the Haitian community in Miami recognized the importance of paying tribute to his contributions, particularly his role in advancing recognition of Haitians in the United States and later in supporting Haiti’s liberation from dictatorship.
I remember the excitement surrounding his arrival in Miami in the 1980s, when the leader of the “Rainbow Coalition” came to rally people across racial lines—Whites, Blacks, and others—around a common cause. Long live the solidarity of free peoples! The master of ceremonies at the time was Father Gérard Jean-Juste, director of the Haitian Refugee Center, himself a powerful figure. The call was to wear a red ribbon. And when Jesse Jackson declared, “and we will wear our red ribbon,” he meant that the struggle had no borders: today it was about freeing our Haitian brothers from the grip of immigration, but tomorrow it would be about solidarity among all peoples. That day, we felt uplifted by a deep sense of hope and pride.
However, has that goal truly been achieved today? This is a question we asked ourselves after Saturday’s ceremony at the Father Gérard Jean-Juste Center. The audience was modest—neither small nor large—and consisted largely of the same individuals who had participated in the events of the 1980s. But where are our children and grandchildren? “Let freedom ring,” yes—but if that spirit is not passed from generation to generation, what will remain after us? “That is the question,” as Shakespeare’s Hamlet would say.
And yet, the sons and daughters of this generation within our own community are now better equipped than we were—doctors, engineers, lawyers, and hopefully defenders of the vulnerable. All the more reason to commend the small team that organized the moving ceremony on March 21 at the Father Gérard Jean-Juste Center on 6th Avenue in Miami. We cannot name them all, but many were the same individuals who organized the historic visit of the civil rights leader in the 1980s in Little Haiti, around the refugee center and other social and religious institutions.
Leading Saturday’s initiative appears to have been Abel Jean-Simon, with key figures such as Commissioner Marleine Bastien, Father Bazin, Jacques Despinos, and others—each recognized for their strong commitment to community action. The audience also included activists from the past and present, still driven by the same spirit of resistance, such as Farah Anacaona, also known as Farah Juste—“When will be liberated beautiful Haiti”—though that Haiti still seems too long in coming.
There was also significant participation from African American community leaders, who shared the stage with their Haitian counterparts. However, it is regrettable that one of Jesse Jackson’s major goals—a closer relationship between the Haitian and African American communities—has not fully materialized. This is partly because younger generations have not fully taken up their role, especially when compared to other communities such as Jewish or Hispanic groups.
In conclusion, one can only hope it is not too late. Perhaps current U.S. policies may encourage greater engagement within the community itself. Read between the lines.
(Melodie FM/ Haïti en Marche)
(Translation by Joel Lorquet from French to English)