Jesse Jackson ‘died peacefully’ at 84, but one detail from his final years is stirring deep emotion

Reverend Jesse Jackson, a prominent figure in the US civil rights movement, has died at the age of 84. As reported by Al Jazeera, his family said he passed away peacefully on Tuesday.

In a statement, his family described him as a servant leader devoted not only to them but also “to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.” They added, “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family.”

Jackson had faced significant health challenges in recent years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017. Despite the illness, he remained active in public life, advocating for COVID-19 vaccinations in Black communities and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

His final years reflected decades of activism and resilience

Born Jesse Louis Burns on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson grew up in the segregated South and joined the Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights marches in 1965. His early activism brought him into close partnership with Martin Luther King Jr., becoming one of his protégés during the height of the civil rights movement.

Jackson was present at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, when King was assassinated in 1968. In a 2008 interview, he said the killing deeply traumatized him, while emphasizing that King’s legacy endured in the hearts of millions.

Following King’s death, Jackson led Operation PUSH in Chicago, focusing on improving economic, social, and political conditions for Black Americans. He later entered national politics, running twice for the Democratic presidential nomination.

His 1984 campaign laid the groundwork for the National Rainbow Coalition, which sought to expand political representation across a broad coalition of marginalized communities. That organizing legacy remains part of today’s voting debate, amid Noem’s election rigging concerns. At the 1988 Democratic National Convention, Jackson delivered one of his most memorable speeches, urging supporters to persevere and “Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it.”

Jackson also played a role internationally, serving as a presidential special envoy for Africa under President Bill Clinton and advocating against apartheid in South Africa. He traveled to countries including Syria, Iraq, and Serbia to help secure the release of detained Americans.

In 2008, he expressed deep emotion following Barack Obama’s first presidential victory, describing it as transformative for the nation’s future. Obama has remained part of the national conversation since, including an Obama racist ape video response. Even in his later years, Jackson continued to speak publicly, including in Minneapolis ahead of the murder conviction of the officer who killed George Floyd, where he said, “Even if we win, it’s relief, not victory,” and urged supporters to “Keep hope alive.”