American Civil Rights Advocate, Jesse Jackson Is Dead

By Metropolix ~
February 17, 2026 --
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— Rev. Jesse Jackson

By Muyiwa Akinola

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader, Baptist minister and pioneering politician who launched two bids for the U.S. presidency, died on Tuesday morning at the age of 84, his family said in a statement.

“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the family statement said.

“We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by,” it added.

Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Jackson, whom he married in 1962, and six children.