Jonathan Jackson, a son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, on Monday kicked off his congressional campaign in the crowded Democratic primary to replace Rep. Bobby Rush for Illinois' 1st Congressional District.

In declaring his candidacy, Jonathan Jackson talked about having traveled the world with his father, seeing greatness and about being “in the room” where it happened.

During the wide-ranging interview with the Sun-Times, Jonathan Jackson fondly recalled some of those first-person experiences.