The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., a foundational figure of the American Civil Rights Movement and a pioneer in Black electoral politics, died Tuesday, February 17, 2026. He was 84.
His family confirmed in a statement that Jackson passed away peacefully at a Chicago hospital surrounded by relatives.
While an official cause was not released, Jackson had been managing progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurological disorder, following a decade-long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Jackson’s career spanned over six decades, beginning as a close aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was present at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis during King’s 1968 assassination.
Following King’s death, Jackson emerged as a national leader, founding Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in 1971 to advocate for economic justice and corporate accountability for Black Americans.
In the 1980s, Jackson shifted the landscape of American politics with two historic bids for the Democratic presidential nomination.
In 1984, he founded the National Rainbow Coalition, a movement designed to unite various marginalized groups across racial and economic lines.
His 1988 campaign was a breakthrough; he won 11 contests and secured nearly seven million votes, finishing as the runner-up.
His success is widely credited with registering millions of new voters and paving the path for the future election of Barack Obama.
Beyond domestic politics, Jackson served as an international diplomat.
He successfully negotiated the release of American prisoners in Syria (1984), Cuba (1984), and Iraq (1990). In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and their five children. His son, Yusef Jackson, currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, continuing his father’s work in social and economic advocacy.
justice.
