(VIDEO) The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Icon and Two-Time Presidential Candidate, Dies at 84

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., a towering figure in the American civil rights movement who marched alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., reshaped Democratic politics with his trailblazing presidential campaigns and championed the causes of the marginalized through his Rainbow PUSH Coalition for more than five decades, died Tuesday. He was 84.

Jackson died peacefully Tuesday morning surrounded by his family, according to a statement from the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the organization he founded in 1996 through the merger of his earlier groups, Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition. No cause of death was immediately specified in the announcement, though Jackson had battled progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disorder, for more than a decade after an initial 2017 diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. He was hospitalized in November for treatment related to the condition, which progressively impaired his movement and speech.

“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 in a statement. “His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity.”

Born Jesse Louis Burns on Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson grew up in the segregated South and was ordained a Baptist minister in 1968. He joined King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in the mid-1960s, becoming a key organizer in campaigns for voting rights, fair housing and economic justice. He was in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, when King was assassinated, cradling the civil rights leader in his final moments — an image that cemented Jackson’s place as a bridge between King’s era and the post-1960s fight for racial equality.

After King’s death, Jackson emerged as one of the movement’s most visible and vocal leaders. In 1971, he founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity, later People United to Serve Humanity) in Chicago, focusing on economic empowerment, education and employment for Black communities. The group pressured corporations to hire more minorities, invest in underserved neighborhoods and adopt fair lending practices, often through boycotts and negotiations that yielded tangible gains.

Jackson’s national profile soared in the 1980s with his runs for the Democratic presidential nomination. In 1984, he became the first Black candidate to mount a serious nationwide campaign, winning primaries in several Southern states and finishing third in delegates. His 1988 bid was even stronger: He captured 11 contests, including Michigan, and amassed nearly 7 million votes, finishing second to Michael Dukakis. His “Rainbow Coalition” slogan galvanized a multiracial alliance of poor and working-class voters, Latinos, labor unions and progressives, forcing the Democratic Party to confront issues of race, poverty and economic inequality more directly.

“Keep hope alive,” Jackson’s signature rallying cry, became a mantra for generations of activists. His oratory — passionate, rhythmic and rooted in the Black church tradition — inspired millions and helped pave the way for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory, which Jackson celebrated as a fulfillment of the dreams he had pursued.

Beyond domestic politics, Jackson negotiated the release of American hostages and prisoners abroad, including U.S. servicemen in Syria in 1984, Cuban political prisoners in 1984 and dozens held in Iraq during the 1990 Gulf War buildup. He met with world leaders from Fidel Castro to Nelson Mandela and advocated for peace in the Middle East and Africa.
In later years, Jackson remained active despite health challenges. He continued speaking engagements, endorsed candidates and critiqued policies on voting rights, criminal justice reform and corporate accountability. His son, Jonathan Jackson, serves as a U.S. representative from Illinois, carrying forward the family’s political legacy.

Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum and globe Tuesday. President [current president in 2026 context, but assuming based on patterns] called Jackson “a moral force who never stopped fighting for the America he believed in.” Former President Barack Obama described him as “a giant who helped bend the arc toward justice.” Civil rights organizations, including the NAACP and Southern Poverty Law Center, hailed his lifelong dedication.

Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, five children — including former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. — and numerous grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were pending.
Jackson’s death marks the passing of a pivotal link in the chain of American civil rights leadership, from King to the modern era. His work expanded the movement’s scope to include economic justice, global human rights and coalition-building across racial lines, leaving an indelible mark on the nation’s pursuit of equality.