A Lifetime Of Service

Rev. Jesse Jackson Dies at Age 84

Photo from Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

On Feb. 17, 2025, civil rights activist, presidential candidate and ordained Baptist minister Jesse Jackson died at the age of 84 after battling progressive supranuclear palsy for over a decade. Jackson was admitted to a hospital in November 2025 and died surrounded by his family. In addition, Jackson revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017 and was receiving treatments.

Jackson had accompanied Martin Luther King Jr. during his assasination and was heavily involved in the civil rights movement, having been raised with the Jim Crow laws in the south. He received numerous arrests due to participating in protests, with his most recent being in August 2021 due to his participation in a march for voter protections.

In 1984 and 1988, Jackson ran for presidential office. He lost the democratic race in both elections but was the first major African American presidential candidate, paving the way for future Black political figures and leaders.