The family of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson will attend the State of the Union address Tuesday evening as guests of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
In a statement, Jeffries linked the invitation to a broader defense of civil liberties. “While far-right extremists wage an all-out attack on civil rights, voting rights, and democracy itself, House Democrats are committed to carrying on Rev. Jackson’s work,” Jeffries said. “In his name, we will continue to stand up for the American people until we can end this national nightmare at long last.”
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Jeffries also extended invitations to Vonetta Rougier, a bus operator from Canarsie, Brooklyn, and Marina Lacerda, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein. The State of the Union is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.