The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, a pivotal civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate, died on Tuesday, aged 84.
A protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev Jackson dedicated his life to advocating for the poor and underrepresented.
His lifelong crusades, spanning the United States and abroad, championed causes from voting rights and job opportunities to education and healthcare.
In the statement announcing his passing, Jackson’s family expressed their “profound sadness” at his passing and paid tribute to “his unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights, which helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity.
“A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless from his presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilising millions to register to vote – leaving an indelible mark on history.”
Growing up in poverty in Jim Crow-era South Carolina, facing societal judgment for being born out of wedlock and personal challenges with his biological father, Jackson learned early on to channel his fears into excellence.
While attending North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Jackson became active in the civil rights movement, gaining the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and was ordained a minister in 1968.
Through his charismatic speeches, Jackson energized thousands of people to boycott businesses that refused to hire qualified Black Americans.
Jackson started a nonprofit, Operation People United to Save Humanity, or PUSH, in 1971, which later merged with his political movement, the National Rainbow Coalition, to form Rainbow PUSH Coalition in 1996.
The reverend launched a long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and ran for president again in 1988, with his historic campaigns marking the first time a Black candidate had won the nationwide Democratic youth vote.
Jackson later served as Democratic president Bill Clinton’s special envoy to Africa in the 1990s.
The reverend was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and had struggled with his health in recent months.
In November, Jackson was hospitalized for treatment to regulate his blood pressure, having been under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy.
PSP is “a rare neurological disorder that affects body movements, walking and balance, and eye movements,” according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
A cause of death was not immediately given, but Jackson’s family said he died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” his family said.
“We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”
Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, whom he married in 1962; their children Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, and Jacqueline; his daughter, Ashley Jackson, and various grandchildren.
Public observances will be held in Chicago, the family said, with final arrangements to be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
