We Are All Somebody! My Tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson and Councilman Al Lipscomb
Reverend Jesse Jackson (1941 – 2026)
Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Councilman Al Lipscomb (1925 – 2011)
Courtesy Texas Historical Association
Map of Martin Luther King Boulevard in Dallas, Texas
Professor Joe Goldblatt
Hundreds of mourners solemnly filed past me and my family following the funeral of my Papa, former Dallas, Texas city councilman Max B Goldblatt.
After shaking dozens of hands and accepting condolences from many familiar faces I was surprised when an African – American hand reached out to grip my own hand. Even though it was the 1990’s, segregation while not enforced by law had still continued socially in some areas of society.
The man looked up at me while gripping my hand and upper arm tightly said “Your Papa was a good man. I will miss him. He was SOMEBODY!”
The man who offered his condolences was Councilman Al Liscomb (1925 – 2011). He was also a former city councilman who served seven terms on the city council. He was a well respected and often controversial leader in the African – American community in Dallas. And he and my father often publcly battled over civil rights. They both supported civil rights for all, however, they had different views about how to achieve their goals.
When my father was in his second term on the city council there was a proposal in the African – American community to name a major street in honour of Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr in a neighbourhood mostly inhabited by people of colour. My father opposed this location because he believed that such a prominent international leader such as Dr King should have a major highway named after him to recogonise his major contributions to civil rights for all people.
Reverend Lipscomb disagreed with Papa and one day he spoke before the City Council criticising the council for the terrible rat infestation in this neighbourhood and at the end of his speech he presented a small box to my father. Papa opened the box and inside he found a very large dead rat. My father was furious and responded angrily.
Reverend Lipscomb vehemently disagreed about the location of the street honouring his hero and eventually succeeded in having the street in his south Dallas neighbourhood being named in honour of Dr King. Ironically, before becoming a predominately African – American neighbourhood, it had been home to the Jewish community and my father’s synagogue had been located in this area.
This week, when I learned of the sad loss of Reverend Jesse Jackson I remembered the long time acrimony between my father and Al Lipscomb. Neither were perfect men. Lipscomb was convicted of bribery (later over turned on appeal) and my Papa struggled, as do most of us, with his own demons including depression.
However, at the end of his long life, my father’s old rival Al summoned the graciousness, integrity, and kindness to attend our father’s funeral and shake the hand of his son and offer his hertfelt condolences upon the loss of his truly great friend.
Perhaps that is why when I remember Reverend Jesse Jackson I shall always remember him telling millions of us that “We are somebody!” In fact he was offering us a challenge to actualy become somebody. Just as Al Lipscomb so admirably demonstrated at my father’s funeral.
My heartfelt condolences to the family of the Reverend Jesse Jackson whose name and spirit will be a blessing to many generations to come. May they all become somebody and my belated heartelft condolences to the family of Councilman Al Lipscomb whose life also reminded me that it is never to late to aspire to become somebody.
Professor Joe Goldblatt is Emeritus Professor of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland. His views are his own. To learn more about his views visit www.joegoldblatt.scot