Rev. Jesse Jackson dead at the age of 84, family says

Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at 84

Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84, according to his family. Jackson spent his life fighting racial injustice alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., a towering figure of the civil rights movement, Baptist minister and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, died Tuesday at 84, according to his family.

“Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world. 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,” the family said.

What we know:

Jackson died peacefully surrounded by loved ones, his family said. A cause of death was not immediately released, according to USA Today.

Jackson had been living for more than a decade with progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative neurological disorder that affects movement and swallowing. He revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and had received outpatient treatment in Chicago.

Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson appear onstage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Delegates, politicians, and Democratic party supporters are in Chicago for the convention, concluding with current Vice President Kamala Harris accepting her party’s presidential nomination. The DNC takes place from August 19-22. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Dig deeper:

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson rose to prominence during the civil rights era, working closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.. He participated in the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march and later joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where he led Operation Breadbasket, the group’s economic empowerment initiative.

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After King’s assassination in 1968, Jackson founded People United to Save Humanity in 1971, later known as the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, expanding his activism into politics and economic justice. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, winning 11 primaries and caucuses in his second bid and helping build a multiracial political coalition.

Throughout his career, Jackson advocated for voting rights, affirmative action and expanded social programs. He also negotiated the release of American hostages abroad, including U.S. soldiers held in Yugoslavia in 1999. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his efforts.

Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Brown, whom he married in 1962, and their five children, including former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

What’s next:

Public observances will be held in Chicago, with additional celebration of life events to be announced. Information will be released by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition at www.rainbowpush.org and www.jessejacksonlegacy.com.

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