The Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of the most enduring voices of America’s civil rights movement, has died. He passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 84, his family said in a statement. Jackson was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy as well as Parkinson's disease.

Over a career spanning more than six decades, Jackson’s name came to mean moral demand, unflinching courage, and hope for a more equitable nation.

From his early days as a protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to his involvement in presidential campaigns and global peacemaking missions, Jackson never stopped pushing the boundaries of activism. His departure marks the end of an era and the beginning of a national reckoning with how far America still has to go.

Few figures have loomed as large over the American civil rights landscape as Jackson, a preacher, politician, and perennial activist whose booming oratory and relentless advocacy helped shape the moral conscience of a nation. For more than six decades, Jackson stood at the intersection of faith and politics, urging America to live up to its democratic promise and challenging power in all its forms.

Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson came of age in the segregated South. A gifted athlete and scholar, he attended North Carolina A&T State University, where his involvement in civil rights activism would alter the course of his life. In the early 1960s, he joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) under the mentorship of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., becoming one of King’s most visible and trusted aides. He was present in Memphis on April 4, 1968, when King was assassinated—a moment that marked him forever and galvanized his lifelong mission to continue King’s fight for economic justice.

Following King’s death, Jackson founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in 1971 and later merged it with the National Rainbow Coalition in 1984, forming a political force aimed at empowering Black communities, expanding voter registration, and promoting economic parity. His organizations became pipelines for leadership and mobilization, cultivating generations of organizers and political figures who followed in his footsteps.

Jackson twice sought the Democratic nomination for president, in 1984 and 1988—breaking historic ground as the first major African American candidate to seriously contend for the White House. His 1988 campaign, in particular, resonated beyond symbolism: he won 13 primaries and caucuses and secured millions of votes, proving that Black political power could no longer be ignored. His rallying cry, “Keep hope alive,” became a mantra for a generation.

Over the years, Jackson’s activism expanded across borders. He negotiated the release of American hostages from Iraq, Syria, and Yugoslavia, and advocated for global human rights, anti-apartheid movements, and economic equity. Whether standing beside striking workers, delivering sermons in Chicago, or speaking out on the world stage, Jackson’s message never wavered: justice is non-negotiable.

Despite health challenges in his later years, Jackson remained an enduring presence in public life, mentoring younger activists and advocating for fair representation, healthcare, and education. His influence can be traced through countless movements—from Black Lives Matter to voter mobilization efforts led by his children, including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Santita Jackson.

Jackson embodied a rare blend of spirituality and pragmatism, preaching not just from the pulpit but from picket lines and political podiums. His critics often accused him of ambition or self-promotion, but even they couldn’t deny his role in expanding the boundaries of Black political participation and keeping the moral urgency of the civil rights struggle in the public eye.