The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after King, has died at 84

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in modern American history and a longtime advocate for racial justice, economic equality, and political empowerment, has died at the age of 84, marking the end of a decades-long public life that helped shape the trajectory of the Civil Rights Movement after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Jackson rose to national prominence in the 1960s as a close associate of King and an organizer within the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where he played key roles in campaigns focused on voting rights, economic opportunity, and social justice for African Americans and other marginalized communities. Following King’s death in 1968, Jackson emerged as one of the most visible and outspoken leaders carrying forward the movement’s mission, emphasizing nonviolent activism, coalition-building across racial and economic lines, and the use of political participation as a tool for systemic change. In 1971, he founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), an organization dedicated to improving economic conditions in Black communities, promoting educational opportunity, and encouraging corporate accountability, later expanding his efforts through the Rainbow Coalition, which sought to unite minorities, working-class Americans, farmers, labor groups, and other underserved populations under a broad social justice agenda. Jackson’s influence extended into national politics when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and again in 1988, becoming the first Black candidate to mount a serious and competitive campaign for the presidency and inspiring a new generation of minority voters to engage in the political process. His 1988 campaign, in particular, was historic for its strong performance in multiple states and its emphasis on what he called a “Rainbow Coalition” of diverse Americans seeking fairness in economic policy, healthcare, education, and civil rights protections. Although he did not win the nomination, his campaigns helped reshape the Democratic Party’s approach to minority outreach and demonstrated the growing political power of Black voters and multiracial coalitions. Beyond electoral politics, Jackson was widely known for his international diplomacy efforts, often acting as an informal envoy to negotiate the release of American hostages and political prisoners in countries including Syria, Cuba, and Iraq, earning both praise for humanitarian results and criticism from some policymakers who questioned the role of unofficial diplomacy. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, he remained a prominent public voice on issues ranging from police reform and voting rights to economic inequality, education access, and disaster response, frequently organizing marches, voter registration drives, and corporate boycotts to draw attention to disparities affecting marginalized communities.