By Maureen Okpe
Reverend Jesse Jackson, one of the most influential figures in the United States civil rights movement and a two-time presidential candidate, has died at the age of 84, his family confirmed on Tuesday.
For more than five decades, Jackson stood at the forefront of America’s struggle for racial equality, economic justice and inclusive democracy, shaping national debates on voting rights, poverty and minority political participation.
He rose to prominence in the 1960s as a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr., working alongside him during defining moments of the civil rights movement. After King’s assassination in 1968, Jackson expanded his advocacy to confront economic inequality and systemic exclusion.
In the 1970s, he founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), which later evolved into the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a multiracial platform aimed at advancing economic empowerment and political inclusion.
Through these initiatives, Jackson led nationwide voter registration drives, pressed corporations to improve minority hiring practices and mobilised communities around social justice causes, helping to widen minority participation in public life.
He also left a lasting imprint on American politics, mounting historic campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 that significantly broadened minority engagement in the electoral process.
In his later years, despite health challenges, Jackson remained active in advocacy for criminal justice reform, healthcare access and economic fairness, earning tributes from leaders and activists who described him as a moral force and relentless champion of the oppressed.