PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPR) — Famous civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson was in Providence Tuesday to attend the funeral of his longtime friend Mark Weiner.
Weiner, an influential and popular Democrat who sold merchandise and raised funds for the Clintons and others, died last week in Newport. He was 62 and had been battling a long illness.
Many prominent Democratic figures, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and political consultants James Carville and Paul Begala, also attended Weiner’s funeral.
In an exclusive sit-down interview, Eyewitness News Reporter Kelly Sullivan spoke Jackson about who Weiner was.
“Mark was a giver, a selfless giver,” he said. “He was that light in darkness.”
The Rev. Jackson also touched upon race relations here in Rhode Island – mentioning that he would be attending Providence’s Midnight Basketball program Tuesday night. He spoke about plans for urban reconstruction and putting people across the country back to work, gun reform, and the upcoming presidential election.
Watch Kelly’s interview with Rev. Jesse Jackson in the video above.
- Read: Clintons attend Providence funeral of Mark Weiner
- More: Mark Weiner, influential RI Democrat, dies
- In-Depth: Rev. Jackson says Weiner not limited by ‘political persuasion’
