Rev. Jesse Jackson, USA Civil Rights Campaigner Dies Aged 84.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Campaigner & Founder of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Dies Aged 84.

Sadly today Tuesday, February 17th 2026, US civil rights leader Mr Jesse Louis Jackson (1941 – 2026) has died aged 84, his family has confirmed. He died peacefully this morning, surrounded by relatives.

Over more than six decades, Mr Jackson became one of the most recognisable figures in American public life, a minister, organiser and political candidate who worked to build broad coalitions around civil rights, economic justice and voter participation.
Mr Jackson rose to national prominence during the 1960s through his work with Southern Christian Leadership Conference and alongside Martin Luther King Jr.. He later helped lead organising efforts in Chicago, including the SCLC-linked Operation Breadbasket.

He twice sought the Democratic Party nomination for president, running in 1984 and 1988, campaigns widely credited with expanding participation and helping shape modern coalition politics in the US.
Mr Jackson also founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a nonprofit focused on civil rights, social justice and advocacy. A phrase closely associated with his public message, and repeated across decades of speeches and organising was: “Keep hope alive.”

Health.
In recent years, Mr Jackson faced significant health challenges. Reports noted he had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative condition, and was hospitalised in late 2025.

Family.
The family said Mr Jackson’s work was rooted in a lifelong commitment to justice, equality and human rights, and that further details on public observances and arrangements would be released in Chicago.
He is survived by his wife Jacqueline Jackson and their children Santita Jackson, Jesse Jackson Jr., Jonathan Jackson, Yusef Jackson, Jacqueline Jackson (daughter) and Ashley Jackson, as well as grandchildren.

Tributes.
Following the announcement, tributes were issued across political and civic life in the United States, including from former presidents and civil rights leaders, reflecting Jackson’s long-standing influence on American public debate and activism.