By Bulelwa Hoala
- Reverend Jesse Jackson, American civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, has died at the age of 84.
- Jackson was a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., ran for U.S. president twice, and played a key role in the fight against apartheid in South Africa.
- Jackson is survived by his wife Jacqueline and their children; memorial and funeral services will be held in Chicago.
American civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson has passed away at the age of 84.
According to the BBC, Jackson was hospitalised in November 2025 and diagnosed with a degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy.
This followed his 2027 announcement that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the same illness that claimed his father’s life in 1997 at the age of 88.
His family confirmed his passing in a statement on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Civil Rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family,” the statement read.
Jackson was a prominent civil rights activist and politician, having run twice for president under the Democratic Party in 1984 and 1988.
He was a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. and was present in Memphis, Tennessee, when King was assassinated in 1968.
Jackson also played a key role in South Africa’s fight against apartheid. He first visited the country in 1979, shortly after the death of Steve Biko. He lobbied institutions and world leaders to pressure the South African government and cut diplomatic ties.
He was present for Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 and witnessed his inauguration as president in 1994.
Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and their children Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline, and daughter Ashley Jackson.
The Jackson family has announced that memorial and funeral services will be held in Chicago.
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