Washington, February 17, 2026 – The Europe Today: Revered American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84, his family announced early Tuesday, following a prolonged battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disorder.
In a statement, the Jackson family paid tribute to his lifelong dedication to justice and equality. “Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the statement read. “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.”
Jackson had been managing PSP for over a decade. The disorder affects balance, swallowing, and mobility, and currently has no cure. Last November, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the civil rights and social justice organization he founded, confirmed that he had been hospitalized for observation related to the illness.
A towering figure in America’s struggle for racial equality, Jackson rose to prominence during the 1960s civil rights movement. He was among the group later known as the “Greenville Eight,” who sought to desegregate a public library in the segregated South. Widely regarded as a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson worked closely with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), spearheading Operation Breadbasket — an initiative aimed at advancing economic empowerment for Black communities, first in Chicago and later nationwide.
Jackson was present in Memphis in 1968 when King was assassinated, a moment that deeply marked his life and activism.
In the mid-1990s, he consolidated his activism under the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, formed through the merger of two organizations dedicated to social justice, voter rights, and economic equality.
Beyond activism, Jackson made history in national politics. He launched two presidential campaigns in the 1980s, seeking the Democratic nomination in 1984 and 1988. In 1984, he lost the primary to incumbent President Jimmy Carter. In 1988, he mounted a stronger campaign but ultimately lost the nomination to Michael Dukakis, who later lost the general election to George H. W. Bush.
Jackson also served as one of Washington, D.C.’s “shadow senators” from 1991 to 1997, advocating for full congressional representation for the District of Columbia. In 2000, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his decades of public service.
He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, and their five children: Santita Jackson, former Congressman Jesse L. Jackson Jr., Jonathan Luther Jackson, Yusef DuBois Jackson, and Jacqueline Lavinia Jackson Jr.
Jesse Jackson’s death marks the end of an era in American civil rights history, leaving behind a legacy defined by relentless advocacy for equality, economic justice, and human dignity.
