Jesse Jackson dead: Civil rights icon and two-time presidential candidate dies aged 84 | World | News
Jesse Jackson (Image: Getty)
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a two-time presidential candidate and civil rights icon, has died aged 84. On social media, his family says he died peacefully this morning, “surrounded by family”.
In a statement, the family says: “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 continued: “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.”
Jesse Jackson has died aged 84 (Image: Getty)
The family statement added: “Public observances will be held in Chicago. Final arrangements for Reverend Jackson’s celebration of life services, including all public events, will be released by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.”
His cause of death has yet to be confirmed but Jackson was admitted to hospital for observation in November, and doctors said he’d been diagnosed with a degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy.
In 2017, he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, having received outpatient treatment at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago for at least two years before going public with the news.
Jackson called it a “physical challenge” but continued his civil rights advocacy.
Widely recognised for his activism and political impact, Jackson devoted his life to advancing civil rights for marginalised communities in the United States and around the world.
Born on October 8 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson became politically active at a young age.
He gained national prominence in the 1960s as a leading figure within Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Jackson was also at King’s side in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968 when the civil rights leader was assassinated.
In 1984, Jackson ran for president, becoming only the second African American — after Shirley Chisholm — to launch a nationwide campaign for the White House as a Democratic candidate.
Despite losing the 1984 nomination Jackson launched a second groundbreaking campaign in 1988 and s tarted a movement called the ‘Rainbow Coalition’.
He ultimately finished a strong second to Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. At one stage, following a strong performance in the 12-state ‘Super Tuesday’ primaries, he briefly surged into first place in the delegate race.
During the 90s Jackson helped win the release of several detained US citizens around the world. Jackson was a long-standing supporter of Barack Obama’s presidency, he endorsed Obama in March 2007 during the Democratic primaries, citing his appreciation for him and calling him Illinois’ “favorite son”.
However, their relationship was strained at times. The activist made crude remarks about Obama in what he thought was an off-air moment during an interview with Fox News in 2008.
Unaware that he was whispering into a live microphone, Jackson sat that Obama was “talking down to black people.” Jackson then declared, “I want to cut his nuts out.”
He condemned Donald Trump’s presidency, saying, “Fifty years of civil rights have been threatened.”
Just a couple of weeks ago his son, U.S. congressman Jonathan Jackson, prayed in front of President Trump, asking for God to grant him “greater clarity, courage, and capacity” to lead, while also urging compassion for the poor and protection of freedoms.
Footage shows the godson of Martin Luther King Jr., reciting a prayer with Trump standing almost directly behind him. During the speech, he was seen with his eyes closed and at times gently swaying from side to side, according to footage from the event.
Jackson married Jacqueline Lavinia Brown on December 31, 1962. He is survived his wife and their five children: Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan Luther, Yusef DuBois and Jacqueline Lavinia.
