Speaker Johnson Declines Capitol Rotunda Honor for Rev. Jesse Jackson
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has declined a request from the family of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson to have the longtime civil rights activist lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda following his death at age 84.
According to The Hill, Jackson’s family sought the recognition after he passed away earlier this week following a prolonged illness. However, the Speaker ultimately determined that longstanding precedent did not support granting the request.
“The Speaker considered past precedent of mostly reserving the practice for former presidents and select former government officials and military honorees,” the outlet reported.
Jackson is expected to be memorialized in Chicago in the coming weeks, his family confirmed.
A Tradition With Historical Boundaries
The decision to allow an individual to lie in state or lie in honor at the Capitol requires agreement from both House and Senate leadership. While there is no formal statutory rule dictating eligibility, the tradition has historically been reserved for former presidents, members of Congress, and distinguished military leaders.
The most recent individual to lie in state was former President Jimmy Carter. Over the years, other prominent Americans have received the rare recognition. Evangelist Billy Graham lay in honor in 2018, and civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks received the distinction in 2005.
In 2020, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., became the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. Due to pandemic restrictions, portions of the ceremony honoring Lewis were held outdoors on the Capitol steps.
Newsmax reported that other requests for Capitol honors have been denied in recent years, including those involving Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Jackson’s Legacy
Rev. Jackson rose to national prominence as a close associate of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and later mounted two presidential campaigns as a Democrat. He founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and remained active in progressive political advocacy for decades.
He died Tuesday morning at his home, surrounded by family, after battling progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological condition.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family,” the statement said, per Fox News.
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions.”
President Trump Responds
Current President Donald J. Trump offered remarks following Jackson’s passing, noting that their relationship predated his presidency.
“He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts.’ He was very gregarious – Someone who truly loved people!” Trump wrote. “Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.”
Trump added that Jackson “was a force of nature like few others before him” and credited him with having significant influence in the election of former President Barack Hussein Obama, “a man who Jesse could not stand.”
He concluded by extending condolences to the Jackson family: “He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!” Trump wrote. “President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Constitutional Process Over Political Pressure
While Jackson’s decades-long activism earned him national recognition, Speaker Johnson’s decision reflects the Capitol’s long-established practice of reserving Rotunda honors for a narrow category of public servants.
In an era when symbolic gestures are often politicized, the Speaker’s choice underscores adherence to institutional precedent rather than expanding criteria based on public pressure. Memorial services in Chicago will provide supporters and family members an opportunity to honor Jackson’s life and contributions without altering the historic standards governing the Capitol Rotunda.