Jesse Jackson to promote racial justice to Britain's churches

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), in partnership with Regent's Park College in Oxford, will this November host a visit to London and Oxford by the veteran US civil rights campaigner and religious leader, the Rev Jesse Jackson.

During the visit to London, Jackson will engage with CTBI in its work for racial justice, especially as it seeks to enable British and Irish churches to become effective agents for social change.

Rev Jackson will speak on the involvement of minority ethnic communities in economic development and the building of a just society.

He will also address the issue of the empowerment of black and ethnic minority young people in a variety of areas of life.

In Oxford, Jackson will lecture on freedom and education within the context of the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, and also about his political vision in light of next year's US presidential elections.

More generally, his visit to Britain will be used to promote CTBI's Racial Justice Fund, which works with a wide variety of community groups.

In 2005, a delegation from CTBI visited the USA to see at first hand how Christians in America, withJackson at the forefront, continue to lead the fight for racial justice.

Andy Bruce, who has lead responsibility within CTBI's racial justice team (until recently known as the Churches' Commission for Racial Justice), commented, "In 2007, the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act has highlighted the powerful impact of racial injustice upon life in our own society.

"The British Government says it regrets slavery but has not been willing to make an apology, minority ethnic communities continue to suffer disproportionate levels of poverty, crime and social disadvantage, and cultural identity remains one of the most pressing and controversial issues of the day.

"The constant interaction of CTBI's racial justice team with black and minority churches, and with grassroots racial justice projects, reveals that issues such as gun crime, political disengagement, institutional racism, economic marginalisation, and a sense of cultural alienation remain at the top of the agenda."

He welcomed Jackson's visit to the UK, "The insights and perspective Jesse Jackson will bring to Britain and Ireland from his 40 years of social justice work in the US will surely inspire and empower those who continue the struggle on this side of the Atlantic."

Jackson will be the guest of Regent's Park College, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary year as a permanent private hall of Oxford University. Regent's will, in a special ceremony, honour Jackson by making him an honorary fellow of the college.

Among other engagements, Rev Jackson will launch ASPIRE, a major research and empowerment initiative of Regent's Park College in collaboration with Canterbury Christ Church University, and CTBI's racial justice team.

ASPIRE will carry out research into the reasons behind today's under-representation of black young people in higher education in Britain, and investigate and promote ways to improve access to universities for this group of people.

The project stands in the tradition of Regent's Park College, which was founded in the 18th century to enable Protestant dissenters enter higher education. At the time, and until 1854, non-conformist Christians were denied entrance to England's only two universities of Oxford and Cambridge, which accepted only members of the Church of England.

ASPIRE will also develop links with young black people, take practical steps to inspire them with the vision of higher education, and encourage their application to higher education institutions.

Rev Jackson's visit take place from 11 to 14 November, and he will cover engagements in London at the American Church in London, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, and Christ Church in Southwark.

In Oxford, he will visit New Road Baptist Church, Rothermere American Institute, and Regent's Park College.