The Reverend Jesse Jackson, who died this week aged 84, took an early interest in Irish American efforts to secure peace in Northern Ireland, in part by supporting the appointment of a U.S. envoy.
Jackson was lined up to attend the 1988 Irish American Presidential Forum together with fellow Democrats Michael Dukakis and Al Gore.
Illness prevented his attendance at the Manhattan event, held at the Penta Hotel, but he subsequently met with forum organizers.
As the forum's chief organizer, then New York State Assemblyman John Dearie recalls: "I believe Paul O’Dwyer had a key direct role in setting up the Jackson meeting. Jackson was very positive, expressing support for the presidential appointment of an American Special Envoy.
"We felt Jackson was committed to the American role in light of the close political and economic history of our relationship to both the United Kingdom and Ireland. We found Jackson to be extraordinarily cordial and charming."
Fr. Sean McManus, founder and president of the Irish National Caucus, remembers his meetings with Jackson.
"I met him twice. And when he was running for president, at a big speech he gave in Washington, I was one of those who was selected to ask him a public question.
"So I asked him if he was concerned about British oppressive policy in Ireland. He said he was concerned, and also about all the countries that suffered from the British Empire. He got a rousing clap from the audience to that."
Dan Dennehy, National Immigration Chair for the Ancient Order of Hibernians, recalls Jackson as an extraordinary orator with an astonishing ability to pull people to his side - literally.
Said Dennehy: "My first experience of hearing Reverend Jesse Jackson in person came at a fundraiser for an Irish legacy justice organization, Relatives for Justice, in a hotel ballroom in lower Manhattan. The gathering of about 75 people was addressed by recognizable figures in Irish justice and unity issues.
Reverend Jackson came to the podium following an introduction by the late General Jim Cullen, this to the surprise of a nevertheless welcoming audience. The Reverend relayed that he had visited Ireland and was aware of the injustices there. After he spoke he did something magical, something that I had never seen before, and likely will not see again.
And he did so in such rapid fashion. He asked everyone in the room to stand up and anyone who was willing to donate $10,000 to come up and stand next to him. He asked everybody to remain standing, then he went down the list of monetary donations until he had a donation from every single person and all were standing with him at the podium.
"There wasn't a seated person in the room. No one in the room would have predicted the amount of money that was raised in a short few minutes. But this was the Reverend Jesse Jackson. It said a lot about the kind of orator he was."
