The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., a towering figure in the American civil rights movement and a two-time presidential candidate, has passed away at the age of 84. His family confirmed that he died peacefully on the morning of Tuesday, February 17, 2026, surrounded by relatives at his home in Chicago.
Jackson had battled significant health challenges in his final years, including Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurological disorder that eventually robbed the legendary orator of his ability to speak.
A protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson was present at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when King was assassinated in 1968. In the decades that followed, he emerged as one of the most visible and influential Black leaders in the world.
Through his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he championed economic justice, voting rights, and international diplomacy, famously negotiating the release of American hostages in Syria, Iraq, and Yugoslavia. His 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns shattered glass ceilings, amassing millions of votes and paving the political path for the eventual election of Barack Obama.
Tributes have poured in from across the globe, with President Joe Biden and former President Obama hailing him as a “trailblazer” who taught the nation that “hope is a powerful weapon.” Despite his physical decline, Jackson remained active in social justice causes until his final months, appearing at rallies for Black Lives Matter and advocating for healthcare equity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His family has announced that public ceremonies will be held in Chicago to honor a man who spent over sixty years demanding that America live up to its promise of equality for all.
