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February 17, 2026, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in modern American history, has died at the age of 84, leaving behind a towering legacy that shaped politics, social justice, and the fight for equality in the United States. His passing marks the end of an era for a movement that transformed the nation’s moral and political landscape and redefined the boundaries of civic participation for millions of Americans.
Jesse Jackson rose to national prominence in the 1960s as a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., working within the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during some of the most turbulent years of the civil rights struggle.
Those years were marked by protests, arrests, and fierce resistance to racial integration, yet Jackson’s determination and skill as an organizer helped him stand out among emerging leaders.
Known for his powerful oratory and commanding presence, he became a leading voice for racial equality, economic justice, and voting rights after King’s assassination in 1968, carrying forward the movement’s message at a time when many feared its momentum might fade.
Born on 8 October 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jesse Jackson was raised by his mother, Helen Burns, and grew up in a segregated society that deeply shaped his worldview and later activism. From an early age he showed leadership qualities and became involved in student activities as he navigated the realities of the Jim Crow south.
He was elected class president at the all-Black Sterling high school, where he excelled academically as well as athletically, taking part in football, baseball, and basketball. Teachers described him as disciplined, articulate, and unusually confident for his age. In 1959, he received a football scholarship to the University of Illinois, marking an important step beyond the South. The Chicago White Sox offered the young Jackson a spot on their baseball team, but he chose to focus on his education and future ministry ambitions instead.
In the decades that followed, Jesse Jackson founded Operation PUSH in 1971 and later helped form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in 1996, an organization that championed equal opportunity, corporate accountability, and social inclusion. The group became a platform through which he pushed companies and institutions to diversify hiring, invest in underserved communities, and address systemic inequalities.
Through marches, boycotts, negotiations, and public campaigns with political and business leaders, he sought tangible gains for marginalized communities and often succeeded in drawing national attention to issues that might otherwise have been ignored.
His speeches often became rallying cries, including his famous declaration, “Keep hope alive,” and his widely quoted belief, “If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” Those words resonated far beyond political rallies, finding their way into classrooms, churches, and community meetings across the country.
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Supporters praised him as a tireless advocate who translated protest into policy discussions and inspired ordinary citizens to believe their voices mattered, while critics sometimes questioned his confrontational tactics and outspoken style. Regardless of perspective, few disputed his influence or his ability to command national attention when he spoke.
Jesse Jackson twice sought the Democratic nomination for president, first in 1984 and again in 1988. His campaigns were historic, drawing millions of new voters into the political process and demonstrating the growing power of a multiracial coalition that crossed economic, geographic, and generational lines.
Although he did not secure the nomination, his bids reshaped the party’s platform, expanded its voter base, and broadened national debate on civil rights, poverty, healthcare, and foreign policy. Political analysts widely credited his campaigns with opening doors for future candidates from diverse backgrounds.
Throughout his life, Jesse Jackson remained a visible figure at moments of national crisis and celebration alike. He mediated international disputes, advocated for the release of hostages abroad, and spoke out after incidents of racial violence at home, often traveling directly to affected communities to meet with families and local leaders.
Even in later years, especially after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017, as health challenges limited his public appearances, he continued to issue statements urging unity, justice, and civic participation, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to activism that rarely wavered.
In 1984, Jesse Jackson ran as a Democratic candidate for president, becoming the second Black person to launch a nationwide campaign following Shirley Chisholm more than a decade earlier, and his historic bid energized millions of voters while expanding the party’s coalition and reshaping the national political conversation.
Jesse Jackson’s legacy is measured not only in speeches or campaigns but also in the countless individuals he inspired to vote, organize, and demand fairness in their own communities. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, recognizing decades of work expanding opportunities for people of color and strengthening democratic participation.
His voice equal parts preacher, strategist, and activist helped shape modern conversations about equality, representation, and human dignity, ensuring that issues once pushed to the margins remained central to national debate.
He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Jackson, his son, former congressman Jesse Jr., other children, colleagues, and a global community of admirers who continue to carry forward the causes he championed. Memorial arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days, and tributes from around the world continue to highlight the enduring impact of his decades of public service and advocacy.
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