Civil Rights Icon Jesse Jackson Dies at 84

Samuel Perkins

Lead Reporter

The Reverend Jesses Louis Jackson Sr, a key leader in the American Civil Rights Movement and a transformative political figure has died at the age of 84 on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026.

Jackson died peacefully surrounded by family at his home in Chicago, Illinois. While a cause of death hasn't currently been released, it was known that Jackson was struggling with Parkinson's Disease since 2019.

Jackson is widely regarded as the bridge between the 1960's civil rights era, and the modern era of Black pollical power. He was a close aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and was present at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when King was assassinated in 1968.

He was also known for running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988. In 1988, he finished second in the primaries with nearly 7 million votes, proving that a black candidate could build a competitive, multiracial "Rainbow Coalition".

He was awarded the the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, by President Bill Clinton. This is the highest civilian honor in the nation. Tributes have poured in from global leaders and former presidents including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump, all recognizing him as a "force of nature"