February 17, 2026 Story by: Publisher
The Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., the fiery orator and master strategist who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and later transformed American politics with two historic presidential runs, died peacefully Tuesday morning. He was 84.
His family confirmed his passing in a statement, describing him as a “servant leader” who dedicated seven decades to the “oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked.” Jackson had been battling progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disorder, following a long-publicized fight with Parkinson’s disease.
From the Front Lines to the Ballot Box
Born in the segregated South in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson went on to graduate from North Carolina A&T State University, a historically Black university, in 1964. Jackson rose to prominence as a young, charismatic protégé of Dr. King. He was a key organizer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and was present at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on the day of King’s assassination in 1968.
While many wondered who would carry the mantle of the movement, Jackson moved to Chicago and founded Operation PUSH (later the Rainbow PUSH Coalition). He pioneered the use of economic boycotts to force major corporations to hire Black workers and invest in minority-owned businesses, famously declaring to the masses: “I am Somebody.”
Though this moment created a rift with some of King’s older aides—who viewed it as a calculated grab for the spotlight—it undeniably propelled Jackson into a national leadership role. He returned to Chicago to launch Operation Breadbasket and later Operation PUSH, using “economic withdrawal” (boycotts) to force corporations like Coca-Cola and Burger King to open their doors to Black employees and contractors.
By 1971, Jackson had launched PUSH — originally known as People United to Save Humanity — as a mission to improve economic opportunities for Black communities, even as the broader civil rights movement struggled to regain its footing after King’s murder, with Richard Nixon in the White House.
The Rainbow Coalition and Presidential History
In the 1984 contest, Jackson was up against Walter Mondale, the former vice-president from Minnesota, and Gary Hart, a senator from Colorado. Jackson did not come close to winning the nomination — which went to Mondale — but he did win more than 3mn votes in the primary process, nearly 20 per cent of ballots cast.
Jackson’s most enduring political legacy remains his 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns. At a time when a Black president seemed a distant impossibility, Jackson built the “Rainbow Coalition”—a multiracial, working-class alliance of Black, Latino, white, and marginalized Americans.
His 1988 campaign, in particular, shook the Democratic establishment. He won 13 primaries and caucuses and delivered one of the most famous convention speeches in history, chanting the refrain that would define his career: “Keep hope alive!” His runs expanded the voter rolls by millions and paved the way for the eventual presidency of Barack Obama.
Voter Mobilization: He registered millions of new voters, particularly in the South, proving that a multiracial coalition of the “disenfranchised” could win major states like Michigan and South Carolina.
Four years later, in 1988, Jackson came even closer to the White House. He won more than 29 per cent of the primary vote, and almost 7 million supporters, before being edged out by Michael Dukakis for the Democratic nomination.
The Blueprint for Obama: By winning 7 million votes in 1988, he proved that a Black candidate could be a serious contender for the White House. He famously stood in Grant Park in 2008, tears streaming down his face, as he watched Barack Obama—the man who stood on the foundation Jackson built—become President.
A Global Diplomat
Beyond domestic politics, Jackson became a “shadow diplomat.” He successfully negotiated the release of American prisoners in Syria, Cuba, and Iraq, often stepping into international crises where official U.S. channels had failed.
The Global Citizen-Diplomat
Jackson’s influence famously extended beyond U.S. borders. He acted as a freelance diplomat in some of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints:
- 1984: He traveled to Damascus to negotiate the release of Navy Lt. Robert Goodman, whose plane had been shot down over Lebanon.
- 1999: He secured the release of three American soldiers captured during the Kosovo conflict.
- Aparthied: He was a vocal global leader against the apartheid regime in South Africa, maintaining a close bond with Nelson Mandela.
A Life of “Building Bridges”
In his final years, despite declining health, Jackson remained a fixture at protests and voting rights rallies. He often remarked that his mission was to “tear down walls and build bridges.”
He is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Jacqueline, and their five children. While the cadences of his powerful voice have now quieted, the “Rainbow” he built remains a foundational part of the American political fabric.
Source: AP News / Financial Times
