By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE United States civil rights leader and former presidential contender Jesse Jackson has passed at the age of 84.
Jackson passed away at his home surrounded by family members.
His daughter, Santita Jackson, confirmed his death to the Associated Press.
He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017, with a further diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) confirmed in April.
A gifted orator renowned for his rhythmic and impassioned speeches, Jackson rose to national prominence as a powerful advocate for Black economic empowerment and racial equality.
In 1984, he became the first Black candidate to mount a serious campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, declaring that “our time has come” and securing approximately 3.5 million votes in the primaries.
Four years later, under the slogan “Keep Hope Alive”, he ran again, winning about seven million votes and finishing second to Michael S. Dukakis, the then Governor of Massachusetts and eventual Democratic nominee.
His address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention was widely regarded as the emotional high point of the gathering.
For much of the 1970s through the 1990s, Jackson stood as one of the most recognisable Black figures in America.
He channelled the frustrations of marginalised communities into a message of defiance and aspiration, often leading crowds in the chant, “I am somebody.”
Supporters urged him on with cries of “Run, Jesse, run”, while critics scrutinised his missteps, including controversial remarks and personal scandals that at times overshadowed his activism.
Born on 8 October 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson was raised by his mother, Helen Burns, and grandmother, Mathilda.
He was later adopted by his stepfather, Charles Jackson.
A talented student and athlete, he attended the University of Illinois on a football scholarship before transferring to North Carolina A&T State University, where he became actively involved in the burgeoning civil rights movement.
He participated in early sit-ins and protests inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., eventually joining King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
At just 24, he was appointed to lead Operation Breadbasket in Chicago, an initiative aimed at securing economic opportunities for Black communities through boycotts and negotiated agreements with businesses.
Jackson was present in Memphis in April 1968 when King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel, an event that profoundly shaped his public life and leadership.
In the decades that followed, he remained an influential, if at times polarising, figure in American politics and civil rights advocacy.
Though his prominence waned in later years, his legacy as a trailblazer who expanded the horizons of Black political participation in the United States endures.
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