How History Shapes Tomorrow
Key points
Abby Phillip discusses her biography of Jesse Jackson, emphasizing his foundational role in Black political power and the direct line to Barack Obama's presidency, driven by a mission to document history for her daughter and future generations.
Key takeaway
Abby Phillip's biography, "A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power," serves as a crucial historical document, capturing the legacy of a pivotal figure often overshadowed. The conversation underscores that monumental societal shifts, like Barack Obama's presidency, are not spontaneous events but are built upon decades of foundational work by leaders like Jackson, Shirley Chisholm, and Martin Luther King Jr. Phillip's motivation, deeply personal and inspired by her daughter, highlights the imperative to preserve authentic narratives for future generations. This work is a vital reminder that understanding our past—its complexities, struggles, and triumphs—is essential for navigating and shaping a more informed and equitable future.
Welcome back to All Hour Long. Our next guest has made a name as an award-winning prime time anchor and now brings her expert reporting to a biography. It's called "A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power." It sheds new light on one of the most consequential and often misunderstood figures in modern American politics. Earlier this year, the Broadway show "Purpose," inspired by Jesse Jackson's family, won the Tony Award for best play. Jesse Jackson's story means something not just to the United States, but to the world. Abby Phillip gives us a look inside this often overlooked presidential campaign and its lasting impact.
It was about a vision of America that perhaps didn't yet exist in 1984 and 1988. Jackson mused, "We lifted the low ceiling higher. We lifted the ceiling up on black possibility."
We ran into each other at an event, and you told me you were writing this book. What I didn't know is that so much of this was inspired after we lost Congressman John Lewis. Yeah. I mean, when John Lewis died, it felt like the beginning of the end of this consequential era in American history. These giants of the civil rights movement are getting older. To me, as a journalist, as a Black woman, it felt really important to talk to these people, get these stories written down for history, so that we can really understand and remember what really happened.
Reverend Jackson is now 84 years old. He is battling Parkinson's. I lived in Chicago for 10 years. I remember the first time I walked into Operation PUSH to interview him as a reporter, and thinking of my father having that "Run Jesse Run" sign in the garage. I remember all the feelings of my community at the time.
But you are very honest in the book about the impact that Barack Obama's victory meant on Jesse Jackson's legacy. It was a complicated relationship between these two men. There is a through line, a direct line between Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama. In a way, when Obama was elected, everyone was like, "Well, it's happened," and they kind of forgot that Jesse Jackson had come before. For the people who lived through it, like your dad did, they were the people that powered Jesse Jackson's campaign and built the foundation for Barack Obama. We wouldn't have a Barack Obama had it not been for Jesse Jackson.
I know so much of what you do, your inspiration, is your beautiful daughter Naomi, who is four years old now. And much of what you do is so that children like her, children like my son Moses, can have this history documented. Absolutely. I mean, and not just Black children. This is history. It is history. It's important that we say that. It's so easy to think that things just change in a split second, but there's so much work that goes into it. To make history, for there to be a Barack Obama, you had to have a Jesse Jackson and a Shirley Chisholm and a Martin Luther King Jr. I want my daughter to live in a world in which history is available and accessible to her. I wrote this book. I finished this book because of her, to make sure that she knew that her mom could do this thing.
I want people to know that you're not just all work. There is a play side to Abby. You've been on the red carpets lately. How do you describe life right now? Oh gosh, it's so hectic, but it's so beautiful and it's so much fun. I love getting dressed up. I get that from my grandmother. And also, Naomi loves a pink dress. She loves to be dressed up. She wanted me to take a picture just a certain way. She's ready. It's fun. Fashion is just a way to express yourself and have another side of yourself.
Does she have the news bug in her? Well, she loves coming into the studio. She loves coming to the office with me and sitting in the chair. She sits in the control room and then she'll bring my scripts to me. She loves it. I think she just loves seeing her mom doing things, and I love that it's normal to her. She's just like, "Yeah, my mom is..." Well, listen, she's not alone. We love seeing her mom do things. Thank you.
The book is called "A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power." It is available now.
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