US presidents gather to honour Jesse Jackson at memorial service

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Obama, Biden and Clinton remember ‘tenacious’ Jesse Jackson at funeral

Former US presidents, celebrities and thousands of members of the public have gathered to honour civil rights leader, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who died last month.

Former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton were among those who spoke at a memorial service in Chicago for the activist.

Mourners included former Vice President Kamala Harris, filmmaker Tyler Perry and former basketball star Isiah Thomas. The service also featured performances, including from singer and actress Jennifer Hudson.

Jackson, who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr, twice ran to be the Democratic nominee for president and founded the Rainbow PUSH coalition, a social justice and civil rights non-profit.

Getty Images Former US president Barack Obama speaks at the memorial service, wearing a black suit and tie. He's standing on stage with a microphone in front of him and a large cross donning the podium.

Getty Images Seated in a packed memorial service, left to right are former US president Bill Clinton, former president Barack Obama, former first lay Jill Biden and former president Joe Biden.

While praising Jackson in his remarks at the service, Obama made a thinly veiled mention of US President Donald Trump. He said, "Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions".

He said the late reverend inspired people to take a harder path and called "on each of us to be heralds of change".

Getty Images Bill Clinton is on stage speaking in a suit, with one finger pointing up.

Getty Images Jennifer Hudson, wearing all black with a fur propped on her shoulder, sings at the celebration of life service for civil rights.

Getty Images Two women are seen looking through a booklet for the funeral service with the cover showing the face of the civil rights leader.

Former Vice President Harris received a standing ovation when she spoke at the service. She appeared to take a jab at Trump, saying, "Let me just start out by saying: I predicted a lot of what is happening right now. I hate to say I told you so, but we did see it coming".

But, she added, that she didn't realise they would be tackling this moment without Jackson's guidance.

Calling Jackson "impatient," she noted, "He did not waste time waiting, even when the doors in front of him were barred and bolted, even if those on the other side hesitated or even ignored him. He always devised a way through".

Civil rights leader, the Reverend Al Sharpton, who worked closely with Jackson during the civil rights movement, was also among the speakers.