Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Holly Bishop

Jesse Jackson inspires children with rousing poem on Sesame Street in resurfaced clip

This is the moment that Jesse Jackson led children in a chant of his iconic “I Am Somebody” poem during an appearance on Sesame Street.

On Tuesday (17 February), the family of the longtime civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate announced that he had died at the age of 84.

A resurfaced clip from a 1972 episode shows a young Jackson chanting the words with young audience members on the PBS show. “I am somebody! I may be poor. But I am somebody. I may be young, but I am somebody,” he said, with the youngsters mirroring his call.

A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson became well known for his engaging and rousing speeches that championed racial equality.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.