Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a towering figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, died Tuesday at the age of 84. A protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a two-time presidential candidate, Jackson spent decades carrying forward King’s mission for justice and equality.
Santita Jackson confirmed that her father, who had battled a rare neurological disorder, passed away at his Chicago home, surrounded by family.
Jackson’s activism began in Chicago, where he was summoned to meet King at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, shortly before King’s assassination. In the years that followed, he publicly positioned himself as a successor to the legendary leader, transforming from a young organizer into one of the nation’s most recognizable civil rights voices.
He dedicated his life to advocating for marginalized communities, championing causes including voting rights, education, healthcare, and job opportunities. Through the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Jackson pressured corporations and governments to embrace equity while promoting Black pride and self-determination. His influence extended globally, as he secured diplomatic gains with world leaders while remaining deeply rooted in grassroots struggles.
Jackson’s signature declaration, “I am Somebody,” captured his belief in the inherent dignity of all people. In his repeated recitation, he said, “I may be poor, but I am Somebody; I may be young; but I am Somebody; I may be on welfare, but I am Somebody.”
Rising from humble beginnings in the segregated South, Jackson made this message tangible in his own life, becoming America’s most prominent civil rights activist after King.
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family wrote online. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton, reflecting on his mentor, said Jackson “was not simply a civil rights leader; he was a movement unto himself.” Sharpton added, “He taught me that protest must have purpose, that faith must have feet, and that justice is not seasonal, it is daily work,” and that Jackson emphasized “trying is as important as triumph. That you do not wait for the dream to come true; you work to make it real.”
Even in his final years, Jackson remained a visible presence in the fight for justice. Despite a disorder that limited his mobility and speech, he joined protests aligned with Black Lives Matter, attended the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and advocated for peace at a City Council meeting amid the Israel-Hamas war.
“Even if we win,” he reportedly told marchers in Minneapolis before the officer who killed George Floyd was convicted, “it’s relief, not victory. They’re still killing our people. Stop the violence, save the children. Keep hope alive.”
