Jesse Jackson, the legendary US civil rights leader active in the 1960s, has died at the age of 84, his family confirmed.
Jackson’s entourage revealed that he passed on peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family and loved ones, they say in a statement.
“Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family say.
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Alongside the legendary Martin Luther King Jr, Jackson fought for civil rights in the 1960s and was twice a candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.
A protege of King’s, Jesse Jackson built a career around working to politically organize and improve the lives of African-Americans, and became a national force during his two White House campaigns, writes Anthony Zurcher.
Back in 2017, Jackson was reportedly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was hospitalized for observation last November after being diagnosed with a degenerative condition.
The legacy of Jesse Jackson is measured not only in speeches delivered or campaigns waged, but in the doors it opened.
A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., he carried the civil rights movement into presidential politics and reshaped the Democratic coalition in the 1980s.
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His Rainbow Coalition broadened participation and proved that national power was not out of reach for marginalized communities and future candidates.
We will keep you updated on further details surrounding this story.
