Rev. Jesse Jackson, the historic Civil Rights leader who twice ran for president, has died. He was 84.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Civil Rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family,” his family shared in a statement. “His unwavering commitment to justice, equality and human rights helped shape the global movement for freedom and dignity. A tireless change agent, he elevated voices of the voiceless — from his Presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilizing millions to register to vote — leaving an indelible mark on history.”
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless and the overlooked around the world,” they 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 to fight for the values he lived by.”
Born on Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson became a protégé of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as a youth organizer in Chicago and even touted himself as King’s successor.
His fellow Civil Rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute to his own mentor shortly after the news of his dearth broke on Tuesday morning: “Today, I lost the man who first called me into purpose when I was just 12 years old. And our nation lost one of its greatest moral voices. The Reverend Dr. Jesse Louis Jackson was not simply a civil rights leader; he was a movement unto himself. He carried history in his footsteps and hope in his voice.”
“One of the greatest honors of my life was learning at his side. He reminded me that faith without action is just noise. He taught me that protest must have purpose, that faith must have feet, and that justice is not seasonal, it is daily work,” he added. “In 1969, when I was still a teenager trying to find my place in this struggle, Rev. Jackson appointed me youth director of the Brooklyn branch of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He trusted me with responsibility and saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself. That is the measure of a true mentor: they do not just teach you; they name you.”
Jackson is survived by his wife Jacqueline and six children — Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline and Ashley, as well as multiple grandchildren.
