This country was founded on the fundamental proposition of embracing all races and national origins. Our flag is red, white, and blue, and our nation is a rainbow — Black people, Native peoples, Latinos, and diverse groups of immigrants — all precious in God’s sight. So at this point in history, we are called to examine where we stand today, and to reflect on the continuing gap that exists between the nation’s promise and its reality.
The Declaration of Independence boldly proclaims that “all men are created equal” and are endowed with “certain unalienable Rights.” Yet for generations of generations, those words have remained more aspirational than real. We still confront racism, discrimination, and systemic barriers to full political participation and equal opportunity. The promises of freedom, justice, and equality remain unfinished business.
We remain committed to the ongoing struggle until the vaults of opportunity are opened to all. We cannot accept injustice as inevitable, nor allow our nation to default on its moral obligations.
Today, rather than seeing an expanding democracy, we are confronting renewed efforts to weaken it. Black people, Latino people, women, labor, the working class, and others are being denied civil and equal rights and continue to face unequal representation. Immigrants — especially those of color — are subjected to xenophobic policies of exclusion and deportation. Attacks on voting rights, the erosion of civil rights protections, and efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives threaten progress. Every period of American advancement has been met with resistance.
We saw this after Reconstruction, our nation’s repeated embrace of xenophobia, and reactions to the campaigns for civil rights, women’s equal rights, and workers’ rights — and we are witnessing this same repressive current again today.
History also teaches us something else: reactionary forces have never had the final word. Progress has always required organized people, courageous coalitions, disciplined action, and an unwavering belief that America can become better than it has been. That is the mission of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
It is why I am honored to serve as its President and CEO, carrying forward the legacy of my late father, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. We cannot allow the sacrifices and victories won by previous generations to be surrendered for political convenience or ideological extremism.
Our children deserve to see an expanding democracy — not just hear promises of one. We deserve equal access to economic opportunity, education, housing, justice, and the freedom to pursue the American Dream. These challenges did not begin with one administration or election, but today’s political climate has intensified many of them.
Across America, the telling of our history — in schools, national parks, and public discourse — is being challenged, rewritten, and erased. Mentions of slavery, expulsions, and genocide of indigenous peoples, and the mistreatment of diverse immigrant communities are being suppressed.
We must not allow honest history to be lost. We have struggled too long to let our stories be erased.
America becomes stronger not by hiding its imperfections but by acknowledging them, learning from them, and continuing the work of building a more just society. We cannot stand silently while the truth is under attack.
Economic justice remains urgent. Too many Americans struggle with rising costs, stagnant wages, inadequate healthcare, unaffordable housing, underfunded schools, and limited access to capital. Families are working harder than ever, yet find it increasingly difficult to build wealth or achieve economic security.
My father often reminded us that civil rights and economic rights are inseparable. Equal opportunity cannot exist if entire communities remain locked out of the marketplace. Voting rights, quality education, good jobs, affordable housing, healthcare, and access to capital are all essential components of freedom.
As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, we must also remember Frederick Douglass’s powerful words in his historic 1852 speech, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”
“This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”
More than 170 years later, Douglass’s challenge still echoes. The work of perfecting our democracy remains unfinished.
America’s 250th birthday should not only commemorate where we have been, but challenge us to become the nation we have always claimed to be.
My father and other great leaders of the Civil Rights Movement always believed that the promise of America has never belonged to one race, one political party, or one generation. It belongs to all of us. The question before us is whether we will finally fulfill that promise.
The Rainbow Coalition that is the United States of America has always believed in a better nation — even when that faith was not returned. We have marched, organized, voted, prayed, sacrificed, built institutions, served our country, and strengthened democracy. We will continue until justice is no longer delayed and equality is no longer denied.
As we look toward Election Day on November 3, 2026, let us remember that our most powerful nonviolent instrument for change is our vote. Honor those who sacrificed for this right by making your voice heard. Democracy is not self-executing. It requires our participation, vigilance, and faith.
The long arm of justice reaches neither for the political left nor for the political right, but for the moral center. And the self-evident truth of our inalienable rights provides a candle to light our way.
As my father has reminded generations of Americans:
Keep Hope Alive.
Yusef D. Jackson is President and CEO, The Rainbow PUSH Coalition
