The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure in the American civil rights movement who marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and later mounted two historic presidential campaigns, has died at 84, his family announced.
Jackson died peacefully Tuesday morning, surrounded by loved ones, according to a family statement.
He had been hospitalized in November for observation, and doctors previously disclosed that he was living with progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative neurological condition. In 2017, Jackson revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which gradually limits movement and daily function. He described the illness as a “physical challenge” but continued his advocacy work despite his declining health.
For decades, Jackson was a leading voice for racial equality, economic justice and political empowerment in the United States and abroad. His family said his “unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity.”
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the family said. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family.”
Early life and rise in the civil rights movement
Born in Greenville, South Carolina, on Oct. 8, 1941, Jackson became involved in civil rights activism as a young man. He joined King’s inner circle and was in Memphis in 1968 when King was assassinated.
That same year, Jackson was ordained by the Rev. Clay Evans, though he had left Chicago Theological Seminary just three credits shy of completing his degree to work full time in the movement. He was later awarded a Master of Divinity degree in recognition of his life’s work.
Jackson worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the group led by King that championed nonviolent protest. He helped lead its Chicago chapter and spearheaded Operation Breadbasket, an initiative focused on economic empowerment in Black communities.
Following King’s death, Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in Chicago. In 1984, he created the Rainbow Coalition, which later merged with PUSH to form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the organization he led for decades.
Presidential campaigns and national influence
Jackson sought the Democratic nomination for president in 1984 and 1988, becoming one of the first Black candidates to mount viable national campaigns. In 1984, he won several primaries and caucuses and secured 18% of the vote, placing third overall. His 1988 campaign expanded his support and reshaped coalition politics within the Democratic Party.
Although he never held elected office, Jackson remained an influential political figure. He advocated for Washington, D.C., statehood, worked to secure the release of foreign nationals abroad and served as a special envoy under President Bill Clinton.
In 2000, Clinton awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
On election night in 2008, Jackson was seen in tears as Barack Obama was projected to win the presidency, becoming the first Black president of the United States. Jackson later reflected on the sacrifices of civil rights leaders who paved the way, including Medgar Evers and King.
Legacy
Over the course of his life, Jackson received more than 40 honorary doctorate degrees and became a global symbol of the struggle for justice and equality.
He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Jacqueline, their children and a broad network of activists and leaders inspired by his work.
Public observances will be held in Chicago, his family said. Details of memorial services will be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.