Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Feb 18: The Rev. Jesse Jackson, prominent Baptist minister, civil rights icon and two-time US presidential candidate, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 84, his family announced. He died peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.
In a statement, the Jackson family described him as “a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.”
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton paid tribute, calling Jackson “one of our nation’s greatest moral voices” who “carried history in his footsteps and hope in his voice.”
No immediate cause of death was disclosed. Jackson had been living for over a decade with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), according to the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. He had earlier revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and had undergone treatment at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.
Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson rose to national prominence during the Civil Rights Movement, working closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and participating in key demonstrations, including the historic Selma-to-Montgomery march in 1965. He later joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), where he led Operation Breadbasket, an economic empowerment initiative.
Following King’s assassination in 1968, Jackson expanded his activism by founding People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) in 1971. PUSH later merged with the National Rainbow Coalition in 1996 to form the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, advocating for social justice, voting rights and economic upliftment.
Jackson made history with his bids for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988. In 1984, he secured more than 18 per cent of the primary vote, and in 1988, he won 11 primaries and caucuses, building a broad-based coalition of minority and working-class voters.
Apart from politics, Jackson played a significant diplomatic role, helping negotiate the release of detained Americans abroad. In 2000, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Bill Clinton in recognition of his efforts.
Leaders across the political spectrum expressed condolences. Former President Joe Biden described him as “a man of God and of the people,” while former President Barack Obama said Jackson’s activism “laid the foundation” for a new generation of leadership. President Donald Trump also extended condolences, describing Jackson as a man of “personality, grit and street smarts.”
Public observances will be held in Chicago, with further details on celebration of life events to be announced by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Jackson is survived by his wife Jacqueline Brown Jackson and their children, including former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.