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Saturday: Rev. Sharpton & NAN Join Mayor Mamdani, AG James, Sen. Schumer & Leaders for “Keep Hope Alive” Tribute to Rev. Jesse Jackson

SATURDAY: REV. SHARPTON AND NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK (NAN) TO BE JOINED BY MAYOR MAMDANI, AG LETITIA JAMES, SENATOR SCHUMER & OTHERS FOR THE “KEEP HOPE ALIVE” TRIBUTE TO REV. JESSE JACKSON 

NEW YORK, NY (February 19, 2026) – Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of National Action Network (NAN), will host a special tribute to Rev. Jesse Jackson at this Saturday’s Action Rally, honoring the life, legacy, and contributions of one of America’s most consequential civil rights leaders and statesmen.

Rev. Jackson and Rev. Sharpton shared one of the most enduring partnerships in the modern civil rights movement. It was Rev. Jackson who appointed a teenage Sharpton as youth director of Operation Breadbasket in Brooklyn, setting him on the path that would lead to the founding of NAN. Over decades, the two marched together, organized together, and stood shoulder to shoulder on the front lines of some of the nation’s most defining moments for racial justice. Rev. Jackson later bestowed one of his most meaningful honors on that legacy, personally naming NAN’s headquarters “The House of Justice.” It is fitting that this tribute will be held at Mother AME Zion Church — the last place Reverend Jackson ever spoke publicly.

Rev. Jackson was a towering figure in the struggle for civil rights, social justice, and political empowerment — a close ally of Rev. Sharpton and a defining voice of conscience in American public life for more than six decades. He ran historic presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988, expanding the electorate and reshaping the Democratic Party. His Rainbow Coalition brought together communities across lines of race, class, and geography in a vision of solidarity that continues to inspire.

This Saturday’s rally will be held at Mother AME Zion Church 140 W. 137th Street New York, NY.

WHO:
Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of NAN

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer

New York Attorney General Letitia James

Mayor Zohran Mamdani

City Council Member Rita Joseph

Assembly Member Jordan Wright

Assembly Member Brian Cunningham

Assembly Member Rodneyse Hermelyn

Secretary of NY State, Walter Mosley

PA Jumaane Williams

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal

WHEN:
Saturday, February 21, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET

WHERE:
Mother AME Zion Church
140 W. 137th Street
New York, NY

About National Action Network (NAN)

National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency, and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality, or gender.

For more information, go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net

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