*Jackson Creek Middle School*
*American Heroes: Jesse Jackson*
*An American Hero*
* In my opinion, Jesse Jackson is a good example, and yet a not so good example of an American hero. Jesse had a tough life growing up. His mom got pregnant at the young age of 16 and was without a husband. Later, his mother married, but Jesse rarely saw his biological father until he got older. Kids would tease Jesse about this and it stuck with him. Life got better when Jesse started getting closer to his biological father, and it got even better when his stepfather, Charlie Jackson, legally adopted him. Jesse overcame his obstacles and moved on. Still, the bad memories stuck to him.
* Jesse's a good example of an American hero because he fought for Black's rights and stood for what he believed in. He participated in several organizations, including the South Christian Leadership Conference (SCLS) and People United to Serve Humanity (PUSH), that demonstrated non-violent acts against segregation. Jesse also worked with the famous Martin Luther King Jr. even though they did not get a long too well. They had disagreements on how to get things started. However, they both had the same idea of ending segregation against Blacks.
* Jesse is also not a very good example of an American hero because of how he handled a few things. When Martin Luther King was shot, Ralph Abernathy, one of Matrin Luther King's closest friends, held King in his arms for the last few minutes of King's life before the ambulance arrived. When the news came, of this shooting, Jesse Jackson told everyone not to talk to the press. Jesse, on the other hand, did the exact opposite and talked to them. He told them that he and Martin Luther King were close. The next day, on NBC's Today Show, Jesse had on a sweater and said that the blood on it belonged to Martin Luther King. He also said that he held King in his arms in his last moments of life. Just recently, it was discovered that Jesse had an affair and got someone pregant. Although he did these things, Jesse Jackson is still an American hero in my opinion. With his faults it shows that Jesse Jackson is a human being. We all make mistakes, but if you put your mind to it you can become a leader and make a difference by learning from you mistakes and trying to do the right thing.
By: Angie M.
Last updated: 12/3/01
