Rev Jesse L. Jackson Sr. International Diary
A journey of 50 years of national liberation, independence and maturing democracies in Africa:
March 1971:
African American Dialogue, Ford Foundation – Lagos, Nigeria, with Whitney Young, Cong. John Conyers, Ramsey Clark, Bayard Rustin others . . .
December 18, 1971
Operation PUSH Founded
December 1972:
Liberia – speaking at the University of Liberia in Monovia; raise consciousness about dual citizenship for Africans.
Back to Liberia to free journalists from Britain.
July 19, 1979 or 1977
Rev. Jackson traveled to South Africa on a 12 day trip at the invitation of the South African Council of Churches, hosted by Rev. Frank Chikane. From Crossroads to Port Elizabeth, Durban, to Kawzululu-Natal, Johnnesberg and Pretoria, he witnessed first hand the repressive nature of apartheid. Inspired by Winnie Mandela, whom he met while she was under house arrest. While in Soweto, Rev. Jackson preached at the historicRegina Mundi Church, with Bishop Tutu present. His comments, “I BELIEVE IN HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL HUMAN BEINGS. HUMAN RIGHTS SHOULD BE MEASURED BY ONE YARDSTICK,” made international headlines.
October 1979
Rev. Jackson travels to Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Syria, meeting with President Sadat in Cairo, Syrian President Assad, and Palestinian leader Ysssar Arafat in Beirut. This visit were instrumental in forging his views on the “two state” solution in the Middle East, and in building relationship that would prove critical in future negotiations.
1984 AND 1988
I RAN FOR PRESIDENT IN AMERICA ON A PLATFORM OF CHANGE. I SAID IN MY SPEECH, “FREE MANDELA. FREE SOUTH AFRICA. APARTHEID IS A MORAL DISGRACE. A MORAL DISGRACE.”
June 1984
Rev. Jackson addresses the United Nations meeting of the North American Regional Conference for Action against Apartheid, spurring demands for divestment from firms doing business with South Africa, and pressing economic sanctions to bring down the apartheid regime.
November 2, 1985
Reverend Jackson joins with Oliver Tambo, Bishop Trevor Huddleston, Ken Livingston, Bernie Grant, Keith Vaz, Paul Boateng, Diane Abbot (who would become MP) and others at the 120,000-strong demonstration in London’s Trafalgar Square to protest apartheid in South Africa and call on the South African government to free Nelson Mandela. He later met with PM Margaret Thatcher, appealing to her to drop Britain’s support for apartheid.
1986
Rev. Jackson addresses the United Nations in New York and Paris, helping to organize global ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA and advance the movement to Free Mandela.
1986
Tour of frontline states. jet magazine article in here
February 11, 1990
Rev. Jackson was among the first Americans to see Nelson Mandela as he walked out of Victor Verster Prison; preaching earlier that morning with Alan Boesak in Capetown. He met with Mandela at City Hall later that day.
May 1994
At President Clinton’s request, Reverend Jackson led the team of U.S. observers to the 1994 election of Nelson Mandela as the first president of the new South Africa. Affirming that South Africa’s majority rule elections were fair, free and transformative, he urged the US government to extend diplomatic relations with the new South Africa.
July 1997
Co-leader of a Presidential mission to the African African-American Summit hosted by the Sullivan Foundation, in Harare, Zimbabwe. Including Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton – announcing the President’s Partnership for Economic Growth and Opportunity in Africa to expand the US_Africa political and economic partnership.
President Frederick J.T. Chiluba of Zambia.
October 8, 1997
The President today announced the Administration’s intent to appoint Reverend Jesse Jackson to be Special Envoy for the President and the Secretary of State for the promotion of democracy in Africa.
December 1997
On his first trip as a United States special envoy, the Rev. Jesse Jackson delivered a strong message to Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi, that general elections here next month must not be rigged or marred by violence if Kenya hopes for good relations and trade with the United States.
February 23, 1998
As Special Envoy for President Clinton, he returns to Kenya to seek and end to the violence in Rift Valley, urging President Moi to hold free and transparent elections and an end to the violence. Jackson visited survivors in three hospitals in Nakuru, a city 95 miles northwest of Nairobi, in the Rift Valley. The warning to members of the Kikuyu tribe by several of President Daniel arap Moi’s ministers and Kenya African National Union (KANU) legislators.
May 1999
In May of 1999, Jackson traveled to war-torn Sierra Leone, where he negotiated a cease-fire agreement between Tejan Kabbah, the country’s president, and rebel Foday Sankoh. Jackson also negotiated for the release of more than two thousand prisoners of war. One year later, he returned to Sierra Leone to assist once more in the country’s peace process.
February 2004
Libya: attending the Conference of the Africa Union. Peace dividend. Alliance between northern and southern Africa, between Africa and the Middle East. A new economic regional alliance. Lifting of US travel ban.
August 2004
Darfur, Sudan
2007
March Ghana: 50th anniversary celebration
August 2009
Ivory Coast:
Jackson is symbolically crowned Prince Nana at Krindjabo, a village in southern Ivory Coast at a ceremony with Amon N’Douffou V, king of the Agni people of the Krindjabo kingdom.
April 2010
South Africa
he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of KwaZulu- Natal in South Africa.
April 2010
Senegal
Senegal 50th anniversary of Independence
Darfur, Sudan:
April 2010
Durbin South Africa
Returning to Durban, South Africa, Rev. Jackson is bestowed the honorary degree in Literature, at the University of Kwazulu-Natal, and delivers the commencement.
November 2010
South Africa
marks the 50th anniversary of the 1960 Nobel Peace Prize – but only the 49th year of its awarding. Noted US politician and civil rights activist the Reverend Jesse Jackson has come to South Africa to participate in the commemoration of Luthuli’s award
October 2011
South Africa
Oliver Tambo’s birthday and the commemoration of MK.
January 2012
South Africa
ANC 100, in Bloemfein. Met Winnie Mandela in Johanessberg.
April 2013
Kenya
Facilitates government of unity and reconciliation with newly elected President Kenyatta and former PM Odinga.
Setting the hostages free
A Record of Setting the Captives free
Syria — January 3, 1984
Rev. Jackson meets with Syrian leader Assad and wins the release of Lt. Robert Goodman whose plane was shot down over Syrian territory. Despite White House warnings that Rev. Jackson might hinder official government efforts, President Reagan said, of Jackson’s mission, “You can’t quarrel with success.” Jackson would hone his message that moral and humanitarian acts can lead to reduction of world tensions and the resolution of international conflicts.
http://radio.bufvc.ac.uk/lbc/index.php/segment/0000400311004
http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id407.htm
Photo:http://www.corbisimages.com/Search#p=1&q=jesse+jackson+and+Robert+Goodman+Syria
Video: http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/tocn-mla000729-jesse-jackson-plans-to-visit-iraq
Cuba — July 4, 1984
Rev. Jackson negotiates the release of 48 Cuban and Cuban American political prisoners. (Jackson’s mission also took him to El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama). Arriving on June 25, Jackson described his visit to the island as a “mission of peace.” After a speech at the University of Havana, and taking President Castro to church, he meets with the Cuban leader who agrees to release all U.S. prisoners held in Cuban jails. Jackson later successfully urged Castro to release several Cuban prisoners as well.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n12_v85/ai_14777944/
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/1692
Photo: http://www.wral.com/news/national_world/national/image/2455199/
Iraq – September 2, 1990
After Iraq invades Kuwait and holds hundreds of world citizens as “human shields,” Rev. Jackson negotiates with Saddam Hussein to secure the release of 20 American hostages and additional hostages from other European countries.
http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?item=a080890humanshields#a081790hostagemilk
Yugoslavia – May 2, 1999
Three US soldiers -Sgt. Christopher James Stone; Sgt. Andrew Andrew Arthur Ramirez; Sgt. Stephen Michael Gonzales – were held hostage by Yugoslavian leader Milosevic. Rev. Jackson led an interfaith delegation and after face-to-face meetings with Milosevic, the soldiers were freed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/331137.stm; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/333359.stm;http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kosovo/etc/cron.html
Photo: http://www.corbisimages.com/Search#p=1&q=jesse+jackson+Yugoslavia+soldiers
Liberia: August 26, 2000
Four journalists (David Barrie (UK); Timothy Lambon (UK) – (currently at Channel 4 in London); Gugulakhe Radebe (South Africa); Sorious Samoura (Sierra Leone) working on a documentary for Britain’s Channel 4 network were arrested and held in Liberia. Following negotiations with Liberian leader Charles Taylor that included the Rev. Jesse Jackson, as U.S. Special Envoy for the Promotion of Democracy in Africa, the journalists were released and returned to their homes in the UK and South Africa, on August 26, 2000.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/897014.stm
September 2013:
Gambia
Rev. Jackson negotiated President Jammah to release of two Gambian – US citizens imprisoned in the Gambia, and a moratorium on the death penalty for 38 persons slated to be executed.
Rev Jackson at Nelson Mandelas Funeral
