NEWS: WE HAVE REDUCED THE COST OF REGISTRATION AT THE 2026 CONVENTION TO $199 THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO OUR “FAMILY REUNION”
The Board of the NABWMT, Friends and Allies fosters supportive environments where racial and cultural barriers can be overcome and human equality realized. To these ends, we engage in educational, political, cultural, and social activities as a means of addressing the racism, sexism, homophobia, HIV/AIDS discrimination, and other inequities in our communities and in our lives.
The National Association of Black and White Men Together (NABWMT)
mourns the passing of the Reverend Jesse Jackson—a towering figure in the struggle for civil rights, human dignity, and multiracial democracy in the United States.
For decades, Reverend Jackson stood at the forefront of movements that reshaped this nation. As founder of Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he challenged America to live up to its promise—building what he called a “Rainbow Coalition” that united Black, Brown, white, poor, working-class, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and marginalized communities in common cause. His 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns expanded the electorate, brought issues of racial and economic justice into the national spotlight, and inspired millions who had never before seen themselves reflected in national political leadership.
Importantly for our communities, Reverend Jackson was ahead of his time in embracing LGBTQ+ rights as human rights. At a moment when many leaders remained silent—or worse—he affirmed the dignity of gay and lesbian people and called for inclusion within the broader civil rights movement. His leadership and moral clarity were powerfully evident when he served as a featured speaker at the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987, lending his voice and credibility to a movement that was still fighting for recognition amid stigma and fear.
The National Association of Black and White Men Together owes Reverend Jackson a profound debt of gratitude. Our very mission—to build bridges across race and sexual orientation, to confront racism and homophobia, and to foster authentic relationships rooted in justice—echoes the inclusive vision he championed. He understood that liberation is indivisible. None of us are free until all of us are free.
We honor his courage, his prophetic voice, and his enduring belief in coalition politics grounded in love and accountability. In this moment of loss, we recommit ourselves to carrying forward his legacy—organizing across difference, speaking truth to power, and insisting that civil rights must include racial justice, economic equity, and full equality for LGBTQ+ people. May Reverend Jesse Jackson’s life remind us that progress is possible when we dare to imagine a broader “we.” His work challenged a nation. His witness changed history.
His legacy calls us onward.