The Rev. Jesse Jackson steps down as leader of civil rights group he founded in 1971

By TODD RICHMOND and KATHLEEN FOODY
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — The Rev. Jesse Jackson says he’s stepping down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Chicago-based civil rights group he founded more than 50 years ago. The 81-year-old Jackson, who has battled health problems in recent years, announced his resignation during a quiet farewell speech at the organization’s annual convention, which included a two-hour tribute to its longtime leader. Jackson implored attendees to “stop the violence” and “keep hope alive.” The Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes, the pastor at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, will take over as leader of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.