Jesse Jackson

Jesse Louis Jackson (né Burns; October 8, 1941 – February 17, 2026) was an American church minister, activist and politician. He was an important activist during the civil rights movement and was close with Martin Luther King Jr. Jackson began his activism in the 1960s and founded the organizations that later merged to form the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

Jackson ran for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1984 and in 1988. From 1991 to 1997, he was a shadow delegate and shadow senator for the District of Columbia. He was the father of U.S. Representative Jonathan Jackson and former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr.

Early life
Born Jesse Louis Burns, in Greenville, South Carolina, his mother, Helen Burns, was 16 years old at the time he was born. She never married his father, Noah Louis Robinson. 

When Jackson was two, his mother married Charles Jackson. Jesse was raised by his grandmother Matilda until he was 13. In 1957, he returned home when his step-father adopted him.

After he graduated from high school, Jackson had an offer to play professional baseball from the Chicago White Sox. He also received a scholarship to play college football at the University of Illinois, which he accepted. He later transferred to North Carolina A&T. 

Activism
Jackson was one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s main organizers in Chicago for the Southern Christian Leadership Conferences.  After King was shot, Jackson formed several civil rights organizations of his own. Two of these were Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition. Jackson was also active in civil rights movements outside the United States. He also served as a Baptist minister.

Presidential runs
In May 1983, Jackson became the first African-American man since Reconstruction to address a joint session of the Alabama Legislature, where he said it was "about time we forgot about black and white and started talking about employed and unemployed". Art Harris saw Jackson as "testing the waters for a black presidential candidacy down South". Jackson's address to the National Congress of American Indians and touring of southern Texas to test his appeal among Hispanics made people think that he would run for president.

Jackson ran for President in 1984 and 1988, coming in second in the 1988 Democratic party.  Both times, he ran on a very liberal platform that wanted people of all races to co-operate, as well as more emphasis on education, urban issues and infrastructure.  He wanted to be chosen as the Democrat's Vice-Presidential nominee, but Lloyd Bentsen was chosen instead.  From 1991 to 1997, he was a shadow senator from the District of Columbia. People thought Jackson might run against Bill Clinton in the 1996 primaries, but he did not. 

In 2016, during the 2016 United States presidential election he endorsed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. In 2020, during the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, he endorsed Bernie Sanders to be the democratic nominee.

Controversy
He was known for saying some things that are controversial. In 1984, in an interview with Washington Post reporter Milton Coleman, he referred to Jews as "Hymies" and New York City as "Hymietown".  He also said that Barack Obama was "acting like he's white" and "talking down to black people."

Personal life
Jackson's eldest son, Jesse Jackson Jr., is a former congressman from Illinois. His other son, Jonathan Jackson, is a congressman from Illinois as well.

Health and death
In November 2017, Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

In August 2021, Jackson and his wife were hospitalized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, with COVID-19. "Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife have been hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19", Natalie Andes, Hollie Silverman and Alaa Elassar, CNN, updated 8:18 PM ET, Sat August 21, 2021 

In November 2025, Jackson was hospitalized in Chicago for cardiopulmonary problems and for progressive supranuclear palsy, which he was diagnosed with in April 2025.

Jackson died on February 17, 2026 in Chicago at the age of 84.

References

Category:1941 births
Category:2026 deaths
Category:African-American politicians
Category:American adoptees
Category:American Baptist ministers
Category:American civil rights activists
Category:People with Parkinson's disease
Category:People from Greenville, South Carolina
Category:Politicians from Chicago
Category:Politicians from South Carolina
Category:HuffPost writers and columnists
Category:1984 United States presidential candidates
Category:1988 United States presidential candidates
Category:United States Shadow senators from District of Columbia
Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:Activists from Chicago