Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson Dies at 84, Leaving Lasting Legacy of Justice and Advocacy

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at 84. A Baptist minister and close associate of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson became a prominent political and civil rights figure, running twice for the Democratic presidential nomination and advocating for racial justice, economic equality, and voting rights. He also served as a US envoy abroad, fought apartheid in South Africa, and worked to free American prisoners. His family described him as a “servant leader” who uplifted the oppressed worldwide.

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84, his family confirmed on Tuesday, marking the end of a life spent advocating for racial justice, equality, and the rights of the marginalized. Jackson, a Baptist minister, first rose to prominence as a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr., and later became one of the most recognizable and influential figures in American politics and civil rights activism. Over the decades, he combined religious leadership with political organizing, using his platform to champion causes affecting African Americans and other disadvantaged communities.
Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson became a national figure following King’s assassination, and he remained an unwavering voice in the civil rights movement. He ran twice for the Democratic presidential nomination, bringing national attention to progressive and minority political coalitions, and his campaigns helped expand the visibility and influence of underrepresented communities within American politics. Throughout his career, Jackson consistently advocated for racial equality, economic justice, and voting rights, emphasizing the need to support those “desperate, damned, disinherited, disrespected, and despised,” as he famously told the 1984 Democratic National Convention.
Jackson was present at many historic moments in American history. He was in Memphis in 1968 when King was assassinated, openly wept in the crowd during Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory celebration, and stood alongside George Floyd’s family in 2021 after the conviction of the officer responsible for Floyd’s death. His public life was marked by an enduring commitment to uplifting the oppressed and giving voice to the voiceless.
Beyond domestic politics, Jackson became a prominent international mediator and envoy. He was a vocal advocate against apartheid in South Africa and, in the 1990s, served as US presidential special envoy for Africa under President Bill Clinton. He also undertook missions to secure the release of American prisoners held abroad, traveling to countries including Syria, Iraq, and Serbia. His humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, however, were sometimes controversial; for example, his ties to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, including attending Chavez’s funeral in 2013, drew sharp criticism.
In 2017, Jackson revealed that he was living with Parkinson’s disease, leading him to gradually reduce his public engagements. Despite his illness, his family remembered him as a “servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” urging others to continue his work by fighting for the values of justice, equality, and hope that defined his life.
Jesse Jackson leaves behind a legacy of civil rights leadership, political advocacy, and humanitarian work that touched millions of lives both in the United States and abroad, making him one of the most influential figures in modern American history.