On February 17th, 2026, the Civil Rights activist and former Shadow US Senator, Jesse Jackson, officially passed away after a long battle with a rare neurodegenerative condition known as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) at the age of 84.
Known for his campaigning during the civil rights movement under the mentorship of Martin Luther King, Jr, as well as his racial and political activism during the 1980s, Jesse Jackson played a crucial role in transforming the climate surrounding African American activism by fighting for Black rights. Appointed to direct Chicago’s Operation Breadbasket program by King in the 1960s, Jackson has often been overshadowed by his predecessors, but helped play a prominent role on the need for nonviolence protest and racial justice.
Born on October 8, 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson attended North Carolina A&T State University, becoming interested in the fight for equal rights and often participating in student protests. After graduating, Jackson moved to Chicago, where he became a very prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement as well as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Jackson founded the Rainbow Coalition, a program that sought to create opportunities for minorities and improve the economic imbalance between communities. Jackson promoted this program during his 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns, using it to help expand the participation of voters in American politics between marginalized groups.
In 2017, Jackson announced his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, and took a step down from his political leadership that he was once known for. In 2023, Jackson stepped down as president of the Rainbow Coalition.
Jesse Jackson’s legacy is as important as any civil rights leader of the 1960s, and his effect on the political landscape is still being recognized today, as his efforts for equality have helped carry the racial climate into what it is today.
