Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of America’s most powerful voices for justice, has died at 84, his family said.
A preacher, activist, and presidential contender, Jackson’s life was a relentless push for equality that reshaped the nation.
Born Jesse Louis Burns in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1941, Jackson rose from the deep South’s segregation to the centre of American political life.
His voice, honed in pulpit and protest, carried hope for the oppressed and demanded accountability from the powerful.
In the 1960s, Jackson marched alongside Dr Martin Luther King Jr, witnessing both the struggle and the profound heartbreak of the civil rights movement. King’s assassination in 1968 could have shattered him; instead, it propelled Jackson into a lifelong commitment to activism.
He founded Operation PUSH, later the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, blending faith, economics, and grassroots organising.
BREAKING: Civil rights icon and two-time presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson passed away on Tuesday morning at age 84, his family said in a statement.
ABC News’ Pierre Thomas has more on his life and legacy.
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Jackson became a bridge for marginalised communities, demanding access, fairness, and opportunity in workplaces, politics, and beyond.
In the 1980s, he made history as the most successful African American presidential contender to date.
His fiery speeches, pulsing with gospel rhythm, drew crowds and inspired a generation to believe in possibility.
Jackson battled illness later in life, including progressive supranuclear palsy, but his voice remained a moral compass.
Honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he negotiated hostage releases abroad, led voter drives, and never stopped fighting for the voiceless.
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At his passing, tributes poured in worldwide. He is remembered as a champion of equality, whose journey from Greenville to the national stage inspired millions.
He leaves behind his wife, Jacqueline, and their children, carrying forward a lifetime of work that became inseparable from America’s own story.
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