Jesse Jackson Jr. 's famous father took him along in his civil rights campaigns . At 30 , Jackson became the 91st African-American elected to Congress . Since then , he has represented Illinois ' 2nd Congressional District , which includes parts of Chicago 's South Side and Cook County suburbs . He was a member of the House Judiciary Committee for 12 years and served as chairman from 1981 - 1983. Blagojevich . Jackson took a medical leave of absence from Congress in June .
Jesse Jackson Jr. 's famous father took him along in his civil rights campaigns . At 30 , Jackson became the 91st African-American elected to Congress . He was a member of the House Judiciary Committee for 12 years and served as chairman from 1981 - 1983. Blagojevich . Jackson took a medical leave of absence from Congress in June .