The Rainbow PUSH Coalition has officially turned to the next generation. Yusef D. Jackson, the youngest son of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., is now president and CEO of the Chicago-based civil-rights group his father founded. The board voted unanimously to back him, and Yusef, who had been serving as chief operating officer, has already run the organization’s signature Saturday forum under his new title. Family members and longtime leaders cast the shift as both a period of grief and a public promise to keep the movement going.
The board endorses a planned succession
According to FOX 32 Chicago, Yusef’s promotion carries out the plan laid down by his father, who had identified him as successor before his death. Yusef said he plans to center the coalition’s work on voter engagement, economic justice, and unity while carrying the organization’s mission into its next chapter.
First forum signals continuity
As reported by ABC7 Chicago, Yusef presided over his first Saturday forum at the coalition’s Kenwood headquarters, where youth-mentoring groups, city officials, and community organizers gathered to talk about food access, mentoring, and calls to end violence. “Emotionally, I never imagined doing this work without my father around,” Yusef told the audience. Members praised his steady, practical tone as the organization looks ahead to its summer conference.
Jackson’s roots and national footprint
The coalition began as Operation PUSH in 1971 and grew into a national advocacy platform under Jesse Jackson. The elder Jackson died on February 17, 2026, at age 84, according to The Associated Press. The move to Yusef’s leadership follows a period of transition after Jackson stepped back from daily duties in 2023 and a brief outside presidency that ended in resignation, leaving the coalition to rebuild its leadership team.
What comes next
The group lists its headquarters at 930 E. 50th St. on Chicago’s South Side, per the Rainbow PUSH Coalition website, and it has an annual conference slated for June 10 6, 2026. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Yusef said his brother, former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., will help lead and support the coalition as it moves forward.
After a rocky transition, a chance to steady the ship
The organization has seen its share of turnover. After Jesse Jackson stepped aside in 2023, Rev. Frederick Haynes III briefly served as president before resigning months into the job, according to The Associated Press. Backers say Yusef’s long ties to the coalition’s programs and his business experience give him the kind of institutional knowledge that could stabilize operations and fundraising.
Local response
Community members at the Saturday forum struck a hopeful but measured tone. One attendee told ABC7 Chicago, “He’s got it... and we are behind him.” Organizers say the coalition’s early priorities, including voter drives, economic inclusion and neighborhood programs, will be the clearest test of whether this family succession can preserve both the Jackson name recognition and the group’s policy impact.
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