Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson Dies at 84

Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights activist and two-time U.S. presidential candidate, has died at the age of 84, his family announced. Jackson passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning at his home in Chicago, surrounded by family.

Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson became a key figure in the American civil rights movement. A protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he was present in Memphis on the day of King's assassination in 1968.

Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, organizations dedicated to advocating for social justice and economic empowerment. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, breaking barriers for Black candidates and earning significant support.

In 2017, Jackson disclosed his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. In 2023, it was revealed that he had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disorder.

Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and their six children. Public observances will be held in Chicago, with final arrangements to be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.