Jesse Jackson dead: Civil Rights activist dies at 84

Published February 17, 2026 5:09am ET



Famed civil rights activist and longtime black political leader Rev. Jesse Jackson died on Tuesday morning, at the age of 84 following a longtime battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Jackson was hospitalized in November and later diagnosed with a degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy, CBS News reported. His passing was announced in a statement posted to social media.

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