The founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and longtime civil rights advocate died Tuesday morning after a prolonged illness.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., a civil rights activist and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, died early Tuesday morning at the age of 84 following a lengthy illness, his family announced.
Jackson had been hospitalized on Nov. 12 as he battled progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neuromuscular disorder similar to Parkinson’s disease. He previously described the diagnosis as a “physical challenge” but continued public advocacy during his illness.
His father, Noah Lewis Robinson Sr., also suffered from Parkinson’s disease and died in 1997 at the age of 88.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Civil Rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.,” the organization said in a statement posted on Instagram, which can be viewed here.
“He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family.”
Jackson rose to national prominence in the 1960s as a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He later founded Operation PUSH in 1971, an organization aimed at advancing economic and educational opportunities for Black Americans. In 1984, he launched the National Rainbow Coalition, which focused on building a broad political coalition across racial and economic lines.
The two organizations merged in the 1990s to form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Jackson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and ran for president as a Democrat in 1984 and 1988. During his 1988 campaign, he popularized the slogan “Keep Hope Alive,” which became central to his platform.
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Jackson family said public observances will be held in Chicago, with additional celebration-of-life events to be announced.
Original article
Comments