Veteran civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84, his family confirmed in a statement.
“Our father was a servant leader, not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said. “His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions.”
Jackson died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. A cause of death was not immediately announced.
Health Struggles in Recent Years
Jackson had been living for more than a decade with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurological disorder that affects balance, movement, and swallowing, according to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
In 2017, Jackson publicly revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He had received outpatient treatment at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago before sharing the diagnosis.
Public observances are expected to be held in Chicago, with additional celebration-of-life events to be announced.
A Life in the Civil Rights Movement
Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Jesse Jackson rose to national prominence during the civil rights era. He worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr., participating in demonstrations and marches, including the historic 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march in Alabama.
Jackson studied sociology at North Carolina A&T State University and later attended Chicago Theological Seminary. He joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), where he led Operation Breadbasket, an economic empowerment initiative praised by King.
Following King’s assassination in 1968, an event Jesse Jackson witnessed in Memphis, he continued organizing and later founded People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) in 1971. PUSH eventually merged with the National Rainbow Coalition in 1996 to form the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Presidential Campaigns and Political Influence
Jesse Jackson expanded his activism into electoral politics, running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.
In 1984, he won more than 18% of the primary vote and secured victories in several primaries and caucuses. Four years later, he achieved even greater success, winning 11 contests.
His campaigns advocated for social programs, voting rights, economic justice, and affirmative action. Though some critics considered his platform too progressive, Jackson defended his mission as necessary to elevate the concerns of marginalized communities.
Presidential Campaigns and Political Influence
Jackson expanded his activism into electoral politics, running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.
In 1984, he won more than 18% of the primary vote and secured victories in several primaries and caucuses. Four years later, he achieved even greater success, winning 11 contests.
His campaigns advocated for social programs, voting rights, economic justice, and affirmative action. Though some critics considered his platform too progressive, Jackson defended his mission as necessary to elevate the concerns of marginalized communities.
Tributes Pour In
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton described Jackson as “one of our nation’s greatest moral voices.”
“Reverend Jesse Jackson stood wherever dignity was under attack, from apartheid abroad to injustice at home,” Sharpton said. “His voice echoed in boardrooms and in jail cells.”
