Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson Dies at 84

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and two-time U.S. presidential candidate, died peacefully at the age of 84, surrounded by his family. Jackson, a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., dedicated his life to advocating for the poor and underrepresented, leading crusades for voting rights, job opportunities, education, and health care. He founded the Rainbow/PUSH, which focused on Black pride, self-determination, and corporate accountability. His presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 significantly influenced the United States===Democratic Party (United States) platform, bringing African American issues to the forefront and laying the groundwork for future Black candidates like Barack Obama. Jackson also played a crucial role in international diplomacy, negotiating the release of detained Americans from countries such as Syria, Cuba, Iraq, and Serbia. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton in 2000. In his later years, Jackson battled Progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson s disease, but continued his activism, including supporting George Floyd's family in 2021. His death marks the end of an era for civil rights activism in the United States.