A South Florida woman is remembering civil rights leader Jesse Jackson after meeting him as a child, a moment she says has left a lasting impact on her life.
Tiffany Crockett says it was 1984 when her aunt brought her to see Jackson. Crockett was about 7 or 8 years old at the time. Jackson, who made history as the first Black man to run for president, was giving away food and opening a campaign office in her neighborhood near Miami Jackson Senior High School.
“My aunt wanted to meet him,” Crockett said of the meeting.
Crockett remembers Jackson noticing her in the crowd and motioning for her to come closer. She says he handed her a bag of food, then asked if he could pick her up. Crockett admits she was unsure at first.
“He looked directly at me and beckoned me to come forward,” she said. “And I came forward, and he presented me with a bag of food, and I was a little skeptical. I’m like, this man wants to pick me up.”
Two photos from that day capture the moment. Crockett says she recently stumbled upon them after searching her name online, and seeing the images brought back the meaning of that meeting.
She says Jackson’s message of service stayed with her and helped shape how she lives her life today.
“It carried me through my life to where I adapted that feed the people, take care of the people, they’re hungry, you feed them,” Crockett said. “That’s how I am now moving forward.” Crockett runs a catering business but also says if someone needs food, she makes sure they don’t go hungry.
Crockett says that, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders who have passed on, she hopes Jesse Jackson’s legacy will continue to bring hope and keep the community moving alive.
