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House Speaker Johnson rejects request for Jesse Jackson to lie in honor at Capitol
Speaker Mike Johnson cited precedent limiting Capitol honors to presidents and select officials; Jackson's family plans memorials in Chicago, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C.
- On February 20, 2026, House Speaker Mike Johnson denied a request for Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to lie in honor at the Capitol, citing eligibility rules. Sources said the decision was not political.
- Citing precedent, officials said the practice reserves the honor for presidents, select military and government officials, and sources told CNN the rejection followed past precedent and a recent rule change limiting the honor to former U.S. presidents.
- Lying in honor generally involves placing the casket in the Capitol Rotunda, where the public can offer respects, as with Rosa Parks in 2005 and John Lewis in 2020, and Jackson was praised for his activism.
- Jackson's family announced he will lie in state at Rainbow PUSH headquarters in Chicago next week, with services to follow in South Carolina and Washington, D.C.
- Requests for Charlie Kirk and Dick Cheney were also denied, sparking debate about how the nation honors civil rights leaders, according to sources.
123 Articles
123 Articles
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Among the more moving tributes to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in the days after his death last week were the endless number of selfies that popped up on social media. Athletes, entertainers, politicians, business leaders, nurses, preachers and teachers were all posting pictures documenting the time they met the global icon who believed he could make a difference, and did. I almost wished I had taken a picture the time I interviewed him about voting r…
Jesse Jackson's legacy isn't enough for Capitol honor
House Speaker Mike Johnson has denied a request from the family of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson to allow him to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda following his death at age 84. Johnson’s office cited long-standing House precedent, noting that the Rotunda is typically reserved for presidents, former members of Congress, military leaders, and Supreme Court justices. Because Jackson never held federal office, officials said he did not meet t…
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