Jesse Jackson inspires children with rousing poem on Sesame Street in resurfaced clip
Jesse Jackson’s Sesame Street appearance resurfaces after his death
- Jesse Jackson’s powerful appearance on Sesame Street has resurfaced after his death at age 84.
- The long-time civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate died on Tuesday, Feb. 17, surrounded by family.
- As news of his death spread, so did a resurfaced clip of Jackson leading children in his iconic “I Am Somebody” chant during a 1972 appearance on Sesame Street.
- In the clip, he led young audience members in repeating phrases such as, “I may be poor. But I am somebody.” The chant stemmed from a poem Jackson published in 1970.
- Jackson, a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., was well-known for his engaging speeches advocating for racial equality.
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