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National Bar Association President Ashley L. Upkins to Reflect on Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. at February 24 Forum with Congressman James E. Clyburn

National Bar Association

Wed, February 18, 2026 at 4:25 AM GMT+9 3 min read

“Leading with Credibility in a Fractured Media World” Virtual Conversation to Include Tribute to Civil Rights Icon

**WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / February 17, 2026 / **National Bar Association (NBA) President Ashley L. Upkins will reflect on the life and legacy of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. during the upcoming national virtual forum, “Leading with Credibility in a Fractured Media World,” taking place February 24, 2026, from 10:30 - 11:30 AM ET via Zoom.

The event will feature a fireside conversation with Congressman James E. Clyburn (D-SC) and podcast host Michael Zeldin, and is hosted by CommPro, Capitol Communicator, and the Diversity Action Alliance. President Upkins will deliver welcome remarks, using the moment to reflect on Rev. Jackson’s enduring influence on American civic leadership and the legal community.

Rev. Jackson, who recently passed away, was a towering architect of modern civil rights - marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., founding Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition, expanding Black voter registration nationwide, and reshaping coalition politics through his historic presidential campaigns. His life traced a remarkable American arc: from standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in 1968 to witnessing historic political milestones decades later.

“As we gather to discuss credibility, leadership, and trust, we do so in the shadow of giants,” said President Ashley L. Upkins. “Rev. Jesse Jackson showed us that credibility is not built in comfort; it is forged in courage. He organized, negotiated, and demanded justice long before it was popular or politically safe. The National Bar Association’s mission has always aligned with that spirit.”

The February 24 conversation centers on Congressman Clyburn’s newly released book, The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation, which chronicles the first eight Black South Carolinians elected to Congress during Reconstruction. The book examines how credibility, trust, and political participation have evolved themes that resonate deeply in today’s climate of declining public trust and heightened media scrutiny.

Congressman Clyburn will reflect on sustaining leadership over decades of political transformation and the increasing complexity of communicating in a fractured media environment.

For the National Bar Association, founded in 1925 as the nation’s oldest and largest network of Black legal professionals, the conversation is particularly timely. The organization has long stood at the intersection of law, civil rights, and public accountability. Its members have supported voting rights initiatives, litigated civil rights cases, expanded access to justice, and strengthened democratic participation; causes central to Rev. Jackson’s life’s work.

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“Rev. Jackson believed that progress requires participation,” President Upkins added. “As lawyers, as leaders, and as communicators, we carry forward that responsibility to defend constitutional principles, to protect access to justice, and to lead with clarity even when the noise is loud.”

The event will focus on leadership lessons and credibility challenges facing communicators today, not partisan politics, and will provide practical insights for navigating trust in modern public discourse.

Event Details:
February 24, 2026
10:30 - 11:30 AM ET
Register here:

MEDIA CONTACT
Janie Mackenzie
VP, Public Relations
janiemack@ascendantgroupbranding.com

**SOURCE: **National Bar Association

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