By Obinna Uballa
Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader and trailblazer in United States politics, has died at the age of 84. He passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family, according to a statement from the Jackson household.
“Our father was a servant leader, not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the statement said. “His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honour his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”
Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson rose to prominence in the 1960s as a leader in Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was present with King when he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. A protégé of King, Jackson devoted his life to politically organising and empowering African-Americans, founding Operation PUSH in 1971 and later the National Rainbow Coalition, which merged into the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, advocating for social justice and human rights.
Jackson made history as the first African-American to successfully transition from activism to major-party presidential politics. He ran for the Democratic Party’s nomination in 1984 and 1988, inspiring millions with a message focused on economic opportunity, social justice, and equality for the poor and working class. His campaign slogan, “Keep Hope Alive,” would later resonate in Barack Obama’s 2008 “Hope and Change” campaign.
A gifted orator, Jackson gave voice to those who felt marginalised in the United States. He campaigned for civil rights, voting rights, healthcare, education, and economic justice, both domestically and abroad. He spoke out against apartheid in South Africa, advocated for human rights in Latin America, and remained a moral and political guide within the Democratic Party.
Jackson’s later years were marked by personal and family challenges, including controversies surrounding his son, Jesse Jackson Jr., a former congressman. In 2017, Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which he described as a “physical challenge,” though he continued his activism. The diagnosis was later updated to progressive supranuclear palsy, a degenerative brain disorder, and he was hospitalised for observation in November 2025.
American-British playwright Bonnie Greer described Jackson as “a great man” and “a bridge between generations of the civil rights movement.” She added, “He was able to see the big picture, he was able to see the little picture, and he could put them together to make the idea of America and the world into what he saw — a world where people can not only be equal, they can get better at being equal.”
Jackson’s life was defined by activism, political engagement, and an unwavering commitment to the disenfranchised. He mobilised millions to register to vote, ran landmark presidential campaigns, and became an elder statesman, mentoring generations of civil rights leaders and inspiring global movements for justice and equality.
He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, their children Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline, and Ashley, as well as several grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Burns Jackson; father, Noah Louis Robinson; and stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson.
Public observances are expected in Chicago, with final arrangements for his celebration of life to be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
