The abrupt resignation of a Dallas pastor after less than three months as head of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition underscores how daunting a task it’ll be for anyone to carry the mantle of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, longtime confidants of the civil rights standardbearer told the Sun-Times.
It’s still not clear why the Rev. Frederick Haynes III suddenly resigned Tuesday as president of the legendary South Side social justice organization, whose reach, thanks to Jackson, has extended worldwide for decades.
But former Rainbow PUSH insiders and longtime allies of the coalition agreed Haynes’ short-lived appointment was hamstrung from the beginning by a split commitment with his Texas megachurch — and it raises more questions about the future of the organization.
“For [Haynes] to be here and there — it was impossible,” said Hermene Hartman, founder of the Black Chicago publication N’DIGO. She worked alongside Jackson in the 1960s at Operation Breadbasket, a precursor to the groups that would become Rainbow PUSH.
“To fill Rev. Jackson’s shoes requires a person who can do multiple things at the same time: raise money, stay on top of the issues, be political and act as caretaker for communities worldwide,” Hartman said. “He was trained by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We’re talking about rare people. Masterminds.”
She called Haynes “a brilliant minister. But he may not have been the right person to carry the movement.”
Haynes, pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, was formally installed as president of Rainbow PUSH in February, though Jackson, 82, named him his successor last summer.
In a brief statement, Haynes announced his immediate resignation after “continued prayer and deliberation.”
“I remain committed to honoring the rich history of RPC and the legacy of its esteemed leader, the incomparable Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr., and, most significantly, to the calling and pursuit of social justice,” Haynes said. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who have expressed their support since my appointment in July of last year. Rest assured that my work in the fight for liberation and freedom continues.”
Haynes couldn’t be reached directly for comment.
Sources close to Rainbow PUSH leadership said his resignation caught the organization by surprise.
Reached by phone, Jackson called Haynes “a fantastic preacher” and reiterated a statement released by the coalition accepting his resignation.
“We are grateful to Rev. Haynes for his service and leadership, continuing the work of our founder and President Emeritus Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.,” coalition leaders said.
“We remain eternal partners in the fight for peace, civil rights and economic justice.”
Rainbow PUSH leaders didn’t respond to further questions about the search for a new president.
Jackson’s son Yusef Jackson serves as chief operating officer. He couldn’t be reached for comment, nor could the reverend’s other sons, Rep. Jonathan Jackson and ex-Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who have both held prominent roles with the group.
Veteran political strategist Delmarie Cobb, a top adviser on Rev. Jackson’s 1988 presidential campaign, said it would be difficult for any new leader to meet the standard set by the coalition’s founder, who continues to make public appearances as he battles Parkinson’s disease.
“He’s still on a mission. Unless you bring in someone with that commitment, they’re never going to live up to what he’s been able to accomplish,” Cobb said, adding that the decision to hand the reins to an out-of-towner “was fraught with problems from the beginning.”
“Chicago is unique in its politics. You have to be able to understand that landscape and navigate it. One reason Rev. Jackson was successful navigating situations internationally is because Chicago is a microcosm of everything you’ll deal with on a global level,” she said. “That probably was a hindrance to Freddy ever getting roots in the organization.”
Public relations executive Jerry Thomas, a former adviser and strategist for Jackson at Rainbow PUSH, said people underestimate the demands of being the face of the organization and its driving force behind the scenes.
“It’s the most difficult job in Black America,” he said. “You might meet the best preacher, or the best politician, or activist, but this man could do it all.”
That includes serving as chief fundraiser for a group that has hit tough financial straits in recent years, according to sources close to Rainbow PUSH and federal records. The Citizenship Education Fund, a tax-exempt nonprofit affiliated with the coalition, has reported revenue declines since 2020, with an operating loss of more than $620,000 in 2022.
“When I look at PUSH right now, I don’t know who can ever replace him. I don’t see it on the horizon,” Thomas said. “I think he’s the last we’ll see in that line of work in the social justice movement.”
The Rev. Michael Pfleger of Saint Sabina Church said the group can find its next leader in the city.
“We have plenty of great talent in Chicago, and we can’t let Rainbow PUSH crumble. Rev. Jackson has put in way too much sacrifice over all these years for that to happen,” Pfleger said. “We have never needed voices for civil rights and justice as much as we do right now.”
