Under the baobab: Remembering Jesse Jackson, a ‘soldier in freedom’s army’

“I am ... somebody. I am ... God’s child.” — Rev. Jesse Jackson

I first met Jesse in Miami in 1967. I had come with my mentor, Fr. Clements, to a meeting of clergy to plan for what was to become the Poor People’s Campaign. He was a tall young pine in the forest, made more majestic by his beautiful Afro.

Later he was on the balcony when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was tragically gunned down. He stood there in the martyr’s blood, shadow pointing out the direction from which the fatal shot had come. Jesse, like the others, stood witness, a soldier in freedom’s army. The only cadre that survives that moment is Ambassador Andrew Young.

Sixteen years later we all urged him to “run, Jesse, run.” And he did, becoming the second African American, after Shirley Chisholm, to seek the office of President of the United States. He tried again in 1988 before settling in as a human rights activist with Operation Push in my hometown, Chicago. He was invited to speak twice at Penn State, in 1999 and 2010.

Now he has joined the ancestors. Rest in peace and power, brother. See you again soon.

Happy Valley highlights

Congrats to Penn State women’s hockey senior forward Tessa Janecke and her Gold Medal-winning Olympic Team USA, and neighbor, Don Barefoot, for his participation as a skeleton race driver in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Lady Lions led from beginning to the end in their victory over Northwestern, 81 to 71, in the Pink Zone game in Rec Hall. Kiyomi McMiller had her fourth consecutive 30-point game and Gracie Merkle is still on track to become the all-time leader in shot making efficiency as they fight to make the Big Ten tournament next month.

In Penn State wrestling, the dynasty continues. On their way to winning their sixth straight regular Big Ten Championship, the No. 1 Nittany Lions crushed No. 2 Ohio State, 36-5, to continue their record-setting dual meet winning streak. Penn State will host the 2026 Big Ten Championships on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, in the Bryce Jordan Center.

Congrats to Susan Venegoni, who was recently appointed to the State College Borough Council to replace Josh Portney, who stepped down last month.

In Howard, Reverend Kevin Shock was installed as Bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Elsewhere in the community, Thon, the world’s largest student-run philanthropy, kicks off this weekend. The event has raised millions of dollars for the Four Diamonds Fund, which focuses on treating and finding a cure for childhood cancer. Thon enlists the support of 16,500 student volunteers through the leadership of 17 student-run committees.

The Center for Black Digital Research hosted the 2026 Douglass Day Transcribe-A-Thon at the Pattee and Paterno Library. Fifty-one neighbors joined people around the nation to transcribe papers of the Colored Conventions and their visions of citizenship.

Peter Buck of Sustain Penn State and Elaine Meder-Wilgus sponsored a book signing at Webster’s Bookstore and Cafe. Jeremy Engels presented his book, “On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World.”

The organizers of the People’s Choice festival announced that it will move back to Boalsburg this summer.

Centre Stage will present a new musical by Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman, “The Morris and Essex Line,” directed by John Simpkins at the Pavilion Theatre from Feb. 24 to March 6.

And the resistance continues: In response to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s lawsuit against the Trump administration, federal Judge Cynthia Rufe, appointed by President Bush, ordered the National Park service to restore the slavery exhibit to the President’s House in Philadelphia. And New York City re-raised the rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village after the Trump administration ordered its removal.

Walk together children, Don’t you get weary.

“Keep hope alive.” — Rev. Jackson

Charles Dumas is a lifelong political activist, a professor emeritus from Penn State, and was the Democratic Party’s nominee for the U.S. Congress in 2012. He is a Lions Paw honoree. He lives in State College with his wife and partner of over 50 years.