Rev. Jesse Jackson, US civil rights icon with rocky ties to Jews, dies at 84

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/rev-jesse-jackson-us-civil-rights-icon-with-rocky-ties-to-jews-dies-at-81/

The African-American leader had rocky relations with the American Jewish community for much of his career, due to his 1980s friendship with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and his description of New York City as “Hymietown,” for which he later apologized. His support for the Palestinian Liberation Organization also strained the relationship, though it improved over time.

In January of 1984, in what he thought were private remarks to a journalist, he referred to New York City as “Hymietown,” a derogatory reference to its large Jewish population.

When the remarks were published in The Washington Post, the civil rights leader denied having made them, and blamed a Jewish conspiracy for the controversy. He ultimately acknowledged the remarks and apologized in a New Hampshire synagogue. In later years, he attempted to mend the relationship, and met with Jewish leaders and organizations.

Another sore spot was his relationship to the Nation of Islam’s Farrakhan, though the reverend condemned the latter’s antisemitic statements as “reprehensible” during his 1984 campaign, which he said Farrakhan was “not a part of.