Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a close ally of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a two-time U.S. presidential candidate, died Tuesday at age 84. His daughter, Santita Jackson, said he passed away at home in Chicago, surrounded by family. He had been living with a rare neurological disorder.
Jackson rose from humble beginnings in segregated South Carolina to become one of America’s most famous civil rights voices. As a young activist, he worked closely with Dr. King and was in Memphis at the Lorraine Motel when King was assassinated in 1968. He went on to lead campaigns for voting rights, education, health care, and economic opportunity, often using his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition to press companies and government leaders for change.
Known for his inspiring speeches and catchphrases such as “I am Somebody” and “Keep hope alive,” Jackson spent decades urging Americans to fight injustice and believe in their potential. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination twice, in 1984 and 1988, and won 13 primaries and caucuses in his second campaign, helping pave the way for future Black leaders.
Jackson also played a role on the world stage. He negotiated the release of Americans held in Syria, Iraq, and Yugoslavia, and in 2000, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Even after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and later progressive supranuclear palsy, he continued to speak out on racial justice, appearing at protests and political events into his final years.
His family described him as a “servant leader” who dedicated his life to the oppressed and voiceless. Fellow activist, Rev. Al Sharpton, called him “a movement unto himself.”
Jesse Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, their children, and his extended family. His legacy is one of hope, courage, and a lifelong fight for equality.
Image credit: AFGE / Flickr (CC by Attribution 2.0. Cropped for focus.)
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