Attending Jesse Jackson memorial in Columbia today? Here’s your guide, from timeline to parking

Civil rights icon and Greenville native Rev. Jesse Jackson left behind a historic legacy when he passed away earlier this month.

Mentioned as a “protégé” of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson worked his way up as an activist, frequently protesting injustice towards African Americans as he grew up during the era of Jim Crow laws.

To honor his memory, Gov. Henry McMaster will allow Jackson to lie in state at the South Carolina State House.

It’s an extremely rare honor, as Jackson is only the second Black person to lie in state, the first being State Sen. Clementa Pinckney, who died in the 2015 Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting in Charleston.

Gov. McMaster also ordered flags at the State House to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday.

Here’s the timeline of the memorial and how you should prepare:

When and where is the memorial?

On Monday, March 2, at 9 a.m., Jackson’s casket will depart from Leevy’s Funeral Home at 1831 Taylor Street to the State House.

The funeral procession will arrive at the north side of the Statehouse at the intersection of Main and Gervais Streets and will then proceed to the south side of the State House.

You can pay your condolences to Jackson at the State House, where his coffin will be visible, between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. His family will have a private ceremony inside the State House prior to this.

Those who are in line before 4:30 p.m. will not be denied entry inside the State House.

At 5 p.m., the South Carolina Highway Patrol Honor Guard will escort Jackson’s casket down the south side steps of the State House.

Between 4:00 p.m. and 6 p.m, Brookland Baptist Church at 1066 Sunset Blvd will hold a memorial service for him, which is also open to the public.

How should you prepare?

Don’t bring a lot with you to the lie in. The SC Department of Administration said members of the public must enter at the northeast entrance of the State House and go through regular security screening.

Gifts or flowers of any kind will not be allowed inside.

If you want to avoid crowds or honor Jackson in the safety of your own home, the South Carolina Educational Television will stream the memorial at the State House from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at scetv.org.

Where should you park?

Due to crowds, there may be limited street parking availability near the State House.

If you have to drive, here are some public parking lots to choose from:

• Lady St. Deck - 1100 Lady St. (Gated facility with hourly ticked parking)
• PJ Cannon Deck - 1227 Taylor St. (non-gated facility with pay station parking on level 1 and level 1 ramp)
• Sumter St. Deck - 1400 Sumter St. (Gated facility with hourly ticketed parking on levels 1B through 4A)

This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 5:30 AM.