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Rev. Jesse Jackson dies at 84
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon, has died after a long illness. He was 84.
WASHINGTON - Leaders across the Washington, D.C., region and the nation are honoring the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights icon who died Tuesday at 84.
Jackson was a protégé of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a two‑time presidential candidate who emerged as a major force in the Civil Rights Movement after King’s assassination.
He spent his life championing the poor and underrepresented, pressing for voting rights, jobs, education and health care in the United States and abroad.
He opened diplomatic doors with world leaders, and through his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition pushed demands for Black pride and economic justice into corporate boardrooms, urging companies to build a more equitable society.
READ MORE: Rev. Jesse Jackson remembered in DC
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 27: Rev. Jesse Jackson walks the floor prior to the start on the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 27, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An estimated 50,000 people are expected i …
President Donald Trump on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson
"The Reverend Jesse Jackson is Dead at 84. I knew him well, long before becoming President. He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and "street smarts." He was very gregarious - Someone who truly loved people! Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.
I provided office space for him and his Rainbow Coalition, for years, in the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street; Responded to his request for help in getting CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM passed and signed, when no other President would even try; Single handedly pushed and passed long term funding for Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), which Jesse loved, but also, which other Presidents would not do; Responded to Jesse’s support for Opportunity Zones, the single most successful economic development package yet approved for Black business men/women, and much more. Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him.
He had much to do with the Election, without acknowledgment or credit, of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who Jesse could not stand. He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed! President DONALD J. TRUMP"
Governor Moore on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson
"Today, Maryland mourns the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson—a giant of the civil rights movement and a champion for the dignity of working people.
Of the many shoulders that we stand on, Jesse Jackson’s were amongst the broadest. He led with love and reminded all of us of our voice and our power. Reverend Jackson was a trailblazer who never waited for permission or to ask for a seat at the table—he insisted on it, and he widened that table for generations to come.
Reverend Jackson spent his life turning pain into purpose and protest into progress and organizing communities to make those promises real.
Dawn and I send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and to all who loved him and were shaped by his life’s work. We pray that Reverend Jackson may enjoy eternal peace and a well-deserved rest."
Reverend Al Sharpton on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson
"My mentor, Rev. Jesse Jackson, has passed.
I just prayed with his family by phone. He was a consequential and transformative leader who changed this nation and the world. He shaped public policy and changed laws. He kept the dream alive and taught young children from broken homes, like me, that we don’t have broken spirits."
NAACP on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson
#RestInPower to Rev. Jesse Jackson. Today, we honor a giant whose voice, courage, and love for our people shaped generations. Reverend Jesse Jackson was not only a civil rights icon—he was family to the NAACP.
His legacy sits at the heart of our work and at the center of this nation’s fight for justice. We carry his light forward.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that today she and all of D.C. mourn the passing of her friend, civil rights leader, and former D.C. Shadow Senator Rev. Jesse Jackson.
"The District of Columbia and our nation mourn the loss of Rev. Jesse Jackson, a pioneer whose leadership reshaped civil rights advocacy and American politics. I was honored to work alongside him during his service as D.C.’s Shadow Senator and throughout his lifelong fight for equality and democracy.
"From the front lines of the civil rights movement to national campaigns that expanded the political imagination of this country, Jesse Jackson lifted up the voices of those too often unheard. He turned protest into progress and transformed moral conviction into political action. His work built bridges across race, class, and geography, helping redefine what inclusive democracy could look like in America.
"In his years representing the District, Rev. Jackson stood firmly for D.C. statehood and full self governance. He recognized that the denial of representation to D.C. residents was a civil rights issue at the heart of America’s unfinished democratic promise.
"Rev. Jackson’s courage, faith, and belief in the power of ordinary citizens to change history will endure. His legacy is a challenge to us all to continue the struggle for equality, for voting rights, and for a democracy that fully lives up to its ideals."
Jackson served as D.C. Shadow Senator from 1991-1997. Norton was first elected to Congress in 1991.
Bernice King on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson
"Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. devoted his life to lifting people in poverty, the marginalized, and those pushed to society’s edges. Through Operation PUSH, he pushed barriers and opened doors so Black people and other excluded communities could step into opportunity and dignity.
With the Rainbow Coalition, he cast a bold vision of an inclusive society—uniting people across race, class, and faith to build power together and expand the table of economic opportunity.
He was a gifted negotiator and a courageous bridge‑builder, serving humanity by bringing calm into tense rooms and creating pathways where none existed.
My family shares a long and meaningful history with him, rooted in a shared commitment to justice and love. As we grieve, we give thanks for a life that pushed hope into weary places.
May we honor his legacy by widening opportunity, uplifting the vulnerable, and building the Beloved Community.
I send my love and prayers to the Jackson family."
Rainbow PUSH Coalition on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson
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Rev. Jesse Jackson remembered in DC
Washington, D.C., is remembering the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who died Tuesday at 84.
READ MORE: Remembering Jesse Jackson: Tributes pour in for the late civil rights leader
The Source: Information in this article comes from FOX 5 reporting.