Obama honors Jesse Jackson's 'legacy of hope' at a time when it's 'hard to hope'

Thousands of people gathered today for a celebration of life of the late Reverend Jesse Jackson. The civil rights icon began his activism for social change in the 1960s, eventually running for president twice and founding the Rainbow Push Coalition. Today, former presidents and community leaders came together with the public and of course the family to pay their respects. ABC's Karen Jordan has more from Chicago. The House of Hope megachurch on Chicago's south side, filled to capacity today as the country bids farewell to the late Reverend Jesse Jackson. The civil rights leader and former presidential candidate died last month at the age of 84. The deal maker for the disenfranchised, the power broker for the people, the shadow senator, he would say, show your love! Numerous dignitaries on hand to pay their respects, including Illinois' governor. Let's follow in his footsteps and be trailblazers and not just pathfinders. Let's bring justice to a too often unjust world. And three former presidents, including our first black president, reflecting on Jackson's pursuit for the White House in the 1980s. The message he sent to a 22-year-old child of a single mother with a funny name was that maybe there wasn't any place, any room, where we didn't belong. Much of today's service filled with music. Chicago native Jennifer Hudson among those who perform. Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson inspires us to take a harder path. His voice calls on each of us to be heralds of change. How fortunate we were that Jesse Jackson answered that call. What a great debt we owe to him. Tomorrow, a private celebration of Reverend Jackson's life will take place at Rainbow Push headquarters where there will be tributes from Stevie Wonder and other musical acts. Reverend Jackson will be laid to rest at Chicago's Oakwood Cemetery. In Chicago, Karen Jordan, Channel 6 Action News.