The Rev. Jesse Jackson, an American civil rights activist and ordained Baptist minister, died Tuesday. He was a protégé of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and ran for president twice.
Jackson was 84 years old. His death at his home in Chicago was confirmed by his daughter, Santita Jackson, The Associated Press reported.
His family said he died peacefully early Tuesday and was surrounded by family. They did not specify cause of death.
“His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity,” the family said in a statement. “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.”
Jackson was born in Greenville, South Carolina and began his activism work with the founding and merger of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
In 1984, he launched a presidential bid after becoming a vocal critic of the Reagan administration. He ran for office again in 1988, but finished behind other Democrats in the primary process.
Jackson worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. After participating in the Selma to Montgomery marches, King offered him a position with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Following King’s 1968 assassination, Jackson became involved in the organization’s leadership.
He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, their children, Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline, Ashley Jackson and their grandchildren.
“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 said. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”
President Donald Trump shared a message online in tribute to Jackson, saying he knew the reverend well long before he became president.
“He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts,’” Trump said. “He was very gregarious — Someone who truly loved People! Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.”
Trump said he provided Jackson with office space in his Trump building and responded to his request to pass criminal justice reform.
“Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him. He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand,” he said. “He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences.”
Despite Trump’s comment about former President Barack Obama, Jackson declared his support for the then Senator when he declared his 2007 presidential bid. Jackson went on to have a complicated relationship with Obama, criticizing him over certain race-related remarks but later celebrating his campaign success.
Fellow civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton shared a tribute to his “mentor” online.
“He was a consequential and transformative leader who changed this nation and the world. He shaped public policy and changed laws,” Sharpton said. “He kept the dream alive and taught young children from broken homes, like me, that we don’t have broken spirits.”