The family of Jesse Jackson has announced the passing of the legendary civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition). Reverend Jackson died peacefully Tuesday morning in Chicago, surrounded by loved ones. He was 84-years-old.
“His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity. A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless-from his Presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilizing millions to register to vote leaving an indelible mark on history,” the family wrote 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 Jackson family shared. “We ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”
Public observances will be held in Chicago. Final arrangements will be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Jackson was born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina where he was raised by his mother, Helen Burns. His father, Noah Louis Robinson, was former professional boxer, who worked for a textile brokerage. Growing up in the segregated south of Greenville, South Carolina, deeply shaped his worldview and commitment to justice at an early age.
A gifted student-athlete, Jackson first attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign on a football scholarship before transferring to North Carolina A&T State University. While at NC A&T, he became actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement, participating in protests and student-led activism inspired by the Greensboro sit-ins (February 1, 1960).
In the 1960s, Jackson worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. and became a prominent figure in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
In 1971, he founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), which later merged with the National Rainbow Coalition in 1996 to form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, expanding his work in economic empowerment, voter registration, and social justice advocacy.
Jackson made history with his runs for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, becoming one of the most successful Black presidential candidates in U.S. history at the time. His 1988 campaign, in particular, built a broad “Rainbow Coalition” of voters and brought issues such as economic justice, voting rights, and international human rights to the forefront of national political discourse.
His activism solidified his role as a national civil rights leader, laying the foundation for decades of advocacy focused on equality, opportunity, and justice for all.
He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, their children, grandchildren, and extended family.
