Overview: Reverend Jesse Jackson, a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement and a two-time Democratic presidential candidate, has passed away at the age of 84. Jackson was known for his work in campaigning for voting rights, his leadership in the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and his impact on generations of freedom fighters. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, and his vision of justice, equality, and unity. Jackson’s son, Yusef Jackson, is now leading the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
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The Rev. Jesse Jackson, an ordained minister, a pillar of the Civil Rights Movement and a two-time Democratic presidential candidate, passed away at the age of 84.
His family released a statement on Feb. 17, announcing Jackson’s passing, and recognizing his legacy of campaigning for voting rights, his leadership and his impact on generations of freedom fighters.
“Reverend Jackson’s passing marks the end of an era, but his vision of justice, equality, and unity will live on through the countless lives he touched,” his family wrote in the statement.
Born in Greenville, South Carolina in 1941, Jackson entered college on a football scholarship before transferring to North Carolina A&T State University and graduating in 1964. Following graduation, Jackson set out to begin his theology studies at Chicago Theological Seminary, but deferred when he began working in the Civil Rights Movement full-time alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the late ’60s, Jackson was chosen to head the Chicago chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Operation Breadbasket, a national campaign that used the power of Black ministers and churches to forge economic opportunities in Black communities, specifically utilizing boycotts as a way to increase jobs for Black workers.
In 1971, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition was founded by Jackson and the People United to Save Humanity (later changed from “Save” to “Serve”) – PUSH. The Rainbow PUSH Coalition started as an organization dedicated to improving the economic conditions of Black communities across the U.S, and later expanded into focusing on social and political development using direct action campaigns, a weekly radio broadcast, and awards that honored prominent Black people in the U.S. and abroad.
Jackson’s ambition and dedication to social justice propelled him to run for president in 1984 and 1988. Though Jackson lost the Democratic primary both times, his infamous speeches galvanized thousands.
In 1984, following his first presidential campaign, Jackson launched the National Rainbow Coalition which sought to unite progressive people who were historically excluded from mainstream politics. Jackson’s 1984 Democratic National Convention speech later became known as the “Rainbow Coalition” speech.
“Our flag is red, white and blue, but our nation is a rainbow – red, yellow, brown, black and white – and we’re all precious in God’s sight,” Jackson said during the 1984 speech. “…Even in our fractured state, all of us count and all of us fit somewhere. We have proven that we can survive without each other. But we have not proven that we can win and progress without each other. We must come together.”
Though Jackson did not become president, his ambition and work toward Black liberation and social justice continued through the decades. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his decades of work focused on increasing opportunities for Black communities and people of color, and his pivotal role as an unofficial diplomatic negotiator for the freedom of Americans.
As Jackson carried on the mission left behind by his mentor, Dr. King, the Rev. Al Sharpton, shared a post honoring Jackson as his own mentor.
“He was a consequential and transformative leader who changed this nation and the world. He shaped public policy and changed laws. He kept the dream alive and taught young children from broken homes, like me, that we don’t have broken spirits,” Sharpton posted on social media. “He told us we were somebody and made us believe. I will always cherish him taking me under his wing, and I will forever try to do my part to keep hope alive.”
In November 2017, Jackson announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and focused on his health, but still remained active as he was arrested in 2021 in a demonstration advocating for voting rights.
In 2023, Jackson retired his leading position at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. His son, Yusef Jackson, is the chief operating officer, now leading the organization.