Rev. Jesse Jackson Dies at 84
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure in the civil rights movement and a two-time Democratic presidential candidate, died on Tuesday at the age of 84. His family confirmed the death in a statement, noting that he passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones, though no cause was specified.
"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 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."
Jackson had faced significant health challenges in recent years. He announced a Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2017, which affected his movements and speech. In April of the following year, his condition was identified as progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurodegenerative disorder that impacts balance, walking, and eye movements, according to medical descriptions from the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. He was hospitalized in Chicago last November to...