Ashley Jackson, daughter of Jesse Jackson, sets the record straight on her voice falsely being used to push drama

Ashley Laverne Jackson, the youngest daughter of the late Reverend, took to Instagram to slam fake blog stories about her and her family in the wake of her father’s death and his funeral.

In the aftermath of Rev. Jesse Jackson’s memorial service, several blogs have drummed up false claims about the Jackson family, including the value of Jackson’s estate, his will, and other internal family matters.

On Instagram Monday (Mar. 23), Ashley Laverne Jackson, the youngest daughter of the civil rights icon, shared a note letting the world know that her voice won’t be attributed to family drama and any news report suggesting otherwise was “fabricated.”

“Since my father’s homegoing services, I have been intentional about preserving my voice and my peace. As such, I have made no public statements regarding familial matters,” she began her statement.

She continued: “Any website, account, or individual claiming to have quotes from me is fabricating them entirely. What has become apparent is that these are defamatory statements designed to disseminate misinformation and damage my reputation. This conduct also targets members of my family, compounding the harm.”

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A post shared by Ashley Laverne Jackson (@ashleylavernejackson)

The civil rights leader, who twice ran for President and became one of the more noted figures of the 20th century, died on February 17 after a prolonged battle with progressive supranuclear palsy. He was 84.

Many of the stories, shared via Facebook blog accounts, focused on Ashley Jackson’s relationship with the family, including an erroneous report suggesting that she and her mother were considered “unwanted baggage” and that she was not included in her father’s private memorial service. Both of those accusations have been proven false.

Jackson concluded her statement on Instagram, writing, “My family may be public-facing, but we are also human beings navigating real loss. The choice to weaponize that pain for social media engagement or to peddle false narratives is predatory. Any words attributed to me that are not shared directly on my platforms or in a verified interview are not mine.

“My focus right now is on moving through my grief with privacy, showing up as a loving and supportive member of my family, and honoring my father’s life and legacy with dignity and care.”

Jesse Jackson’s memorial did not come without some legitimate controversy. According to TMZ and other outlets, Jesse Jackson Jr. slammed remarks made by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, namely for using his father’s memorial service to take shots at President Donald Trump.

“Yesterday, I listened for several hours to three United States presidents who do not know Jesse Jackson,” Jackson Jr. said. “He maintained a tense relationship with the political order, not because the presidents were white or black, but the demands of our message, the demands of speaking for the least of these — those who are disinherited, the damned, the dispossessed, the disrespected — demanded not Democratic or Republican solutions, but demanded a consistent, prophetic voice that at no point in time ever sold us out as people. And it speaks volumes about who the Rev. Jesse Jackson was.”