NEW YORK – RENOWNED American-African Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr, one of the most influential figures in the modern civil rights movement, has died at the age of 84, his family announced on Tuesday.
The charismatic Baptist minister, global human rights advocate and twice-successful U.S presidential hopeful passed away peacefully on 17 February 2026, surrounded by family in Chicago, leaving behind a legacy that reverberated across continents.
In a family statement shared publicly, his loved ones described him as “a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.”
They added, “His unwavering belief in justice, equality and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honour his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”
Jackson’s life was defined by relentless activism on behalf of those marginalised by race, poverty and political exclusion.
Born in segregated Greenville, South Carolina, in 1941, he rose from humble beginnings to become a towering voice in the struggle for African-American civil rights.
His early years were marked by direct action and protest, including joining marches with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the peak of the 1960s civil rights campaigns.
He later founded Operation PUSH and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, organisations that campaigned not just for racial equality in the United States, but also for global human rights and dignity.
His presidential runs in 1984 and 1988 energized millions of Black voters and transformed American political discourse, breaking barriers for future leaders of colour.
Jackson’s activism was firmly rooted in international solidarity. He was an outspoken critic of apartheid in South Africa, collaborating with global anti-apartheid movements and campaigning for U.S. sanctions against the apartheid regime.
His work helped amplify African struggles for freedom and dignity during some of the continent’s most pivotal moments.
Tributes have poured in from around the world, reflecting the breadth of his influence.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded Jackson’s contribution to the global anti-apartheid cause, saying his “irrepressible campaigns against apartheid and his support for the liberation struggle was a towering contribution to the global anti-apartheid cause.”
Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola echoed this sentiment, describing Jackson as “an enduring and towering leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States of America and a renowned champion of the Anti-Apartheid movement and struggle.”
Across Africa and beyond, Jackson’s legacy resonated not only with governments but with people who saw in his struggle a reflection of their own.
South African political figure Mbuyiseni Ndlozi celebrated Jackson as a “king of love,” writing, “What a man! Rev Jesse Jackson. May his soul rest in the perfect and eternal peace he stood for in the world. He joins his fellow combatant, Martin Luther King, with whom they gave the world a more human face, a face of love.”
In the United States, tributes also underscored Jackson’s enduring moral force.
Civil rights leaders such as Rev. Bernice King called him a courageous peacemaker, while Rev. Al Sharpton described him as a moral mentor whose work “instilled the values of purposeful protest and daily commitment to justice.”
Beyond his historic role as a civil rights agitator and political figure, Jackson will be remembered as a bridge-builder whose advocacy spanned borders and generations.
His life’s work helped shape a more just and equitable world—and his clarion call for dignity, equality and justice will continue to inspire people across Africa, the United States and around the globe.
Rev. Jesse Jackson is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, their children and grandchildren.
– CAJ News
