‘I Am — Somebody’

Though not written by Jackson, this poem became synonymous with him. He turned a verse into a rallying cry at rallies in the 1960s and even on a 1972 episode of “Sesame Street.” The poem goes:

“I may be poor, / But I am Somebody. / I may be young, / But I am Somebody. / I may be on welfare, / But I am Somebody.”

Diploma in one hand, voter registration in the other

With his PUSH Excel education initiative, Jackson gave a speech in Chicago in the 1970s on equity in education and voting rights.

“Senior high school graduation must be seen as a passage of rites into adulthood. On that graduation day or night, we must put a diploma in one hand symbolizing knowledge and wisdom, and put a voter registration card in that other hand symbolizing power and responsibility.”

Tears vs. sweat

“Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change.”

America as a patchwork quilt

Jackson told the Democratic National Convention in 1984 during his first run for president:

“America is not like a blanket — one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size. America is more like a quilt: many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread.”

‘Keep hope alive’

When he nearly captured the Democratic nomination in 1988, he told the party convention:

“You must not surrender. You may or may not get there, but just know that you’re qualified and you hold on and hold out. We must never surrender. America will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. On tomorrow night and beyond, keep hope alive.”