The Jackson Oral History Project was conceived by Chicago Theological Seminary as a way to preserve the stories of the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago. In partnership with the Chicago History Museum, CTS presents this exhibition featuring the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson and other civil rights activists working in the Chicago Breadbasket Movement, documenting the birth of this movement in Chicago.
 
Through intimate interviews and personal reflections, you’ll hear directly from Rev. Jackson and eight other key activists who organized, marched and advocated for economic justice and racial equality in Chicago and beyond and whose voices continue to inspire new generations today.
 
This collection is a living legacy – a reminder that the movement is not just history, but a call to action.

NEW!
Jackson Oral History Project Pop-Up Panel Touring Exhibition

After an exciting launch at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in November, the exhibition will be available as a free touring resource. Starting January 2026, congregations, schools, libraries, and community centers are invited to host the banners at no cost and bring these powerful histories into their own communities. These panels lift up the stories, leaders, and community impact that grew from Operation Breadbasket and its enduring legacy in Chicago. Come experience the narratives firsthand and help keep this history alive.

Request the Exhibition for your Space

For additional information, please contact Kim Schultz.

Banners are currently on display at:

PUSH Headquarters: All January 2026
930 E. 50th St., Chicago, IL 60615

Banners have been previously on display at:

Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church: December 2025
4543 S Princeton Ave., Chicago, IL 60609

Chicago History Museum: January 19, 2026
1601 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614

Three additional ways to engage deeper with the stories of the Jackson Oral History Project:

History of Project

In 1965, Rev. Jackson launched Operation Breadbasket (which later became Operation PUSH), a movement to help formally organize Chicago ministers to promote more employment opportunities for local Black folks. He was a student at CTS during the civil rights movement in the 60’s, and his time here at CTS shaped his career. He and his wife Mrs. Jackson both spoke of the value of a CTS education in their early formation. Through a generous grant from the Donnelley Foundation, CTS recently completed collecting an Oral History of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.’s civil rights work in Chicago that launched Operation Push. as a way to preserve the stories of the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago. Told by the people who lived and worked in the movement, these interviews are a window into a past that informs our present.

Interviewed by Rev. Brian E. Smith and Kim Schultz. Interviews include: Dr. Hermene Hartman, Rev. David Wallace, Rev. Janette C. Wilson, Rev. Martin Deppe, Mrs. Betty Massoni, Ms. Jane Ramsey, Ms. Betty Magness, Ms. Hazel Thomas, and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

The Jackson Oral History Project has been an unprecedented opportunity to capture stories from key figures in the civil rights movement, documenting in vivid detail the birth of this movement in Chicago, highlighting the importance of Chicago Theological Seminary as an incubator in that movement.

Special thanks to the Chicago History Museum for their partnership on this project and to the Donnelly Foundation for their generous funding.