Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Titan and Trailblazer, Dies at 84

“Keep Hope Alive”: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Titan and Trailblazer, Dies at 84

CHICAGO — The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., the towering civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate who became the preeminent voice for Black American aspirations in the decades following the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has died. He was 84.

His family confirmed in a statement that Jackson passed away peacefully at his home in Chicago Tuesday morning, surrounded by his loved ones. While a specific cause of death was not immediately released, Jackson had battled significant health challenges in recent years, including a 2017 diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and a later diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family.”

From Selma to the World Stage

Born in 1941 in segregated Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson rose from humble beginnings to become a protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when King was assassinated in 1968, a moment Jackson often cited as the catalyst for his lifelong commitment to "keep hope alive."

In the 1970s and 80s, Jackson emerged as a transformative figure in American politics:

• Operation PUSH: He founded the Chicago-based organization to advocate for Black economic self-help and social justice.

• The Rainbow Coalition: He built a historic multi-racial, multi-issue alliance that sought to unite the "disadvantaged and the dispossessed."

• Presidential Trailblazer: His 1984 and 1988 bids for the Democratic nomination shattered glass ceilings, proving that a Black candidate could mobilize millions of voters and win major primaries, effectively paving the way for the presidency of Barack Obama.

A Voice for the Ages

Jackson was renowned for an oratorical style rooted in the cadences of the Black church. His signature "I Am Somebody" chant became an anthem of self-worth for generations of marginalized Americans. Even as his physical health declined and his voice softened in his final years, Jackson remained a fixture on the front lines of social justice, from the Ferguson protests to the Black Lives Matter movement.

His son, Rep. Jonathan Jackson, told reporters Tuesday that his father remained a "fighter to the very end," still offering counsel and squeezed hands to visitors even after losing the ability to speak.

A Nation Mourns

Tributes have flooded in from across the globe, reflecting Jackson's role as an international diplomat who famously negotiated the release of American hostages in Syria, Cuba, and Iraq.

• President Joe Biden described Jackson as a "giant of our history" who helped the nation "see its own soul."

• President Donald Trump called Jackson a "good man" who "truly loved the people."

• Rev. Al Sharpton, who considered Jackson a mentor, noted that "the world is quieter today without the roar of the lion."

Legacy and Final Rites

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition announced that public observances and celebration of life services will be held in Chicago and his hometown of Greenville. Details regarding a lying-in-state ceremony are expected in the coming days.

Jackson is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Jacqueline, and their children, including former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. and current Representative Jonathan Jackson.

As the flags across Chicago are lowered to half-staff, the nation remembers a man who taught a generation that their "mind can conceive it, and their heart can believe it."