Tributes pour in for US civil rights icon Jesse Jackson

American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, one of the most influential Black political and social figures in the United States, has died at the age of 84, his family announced Tuesday.

In a statement, the Jackson family described him as a “servant leader” who dedicated his life not only to his family but also to defending oppressed and marginalized communities around the world. The cause of death was not disclosed, although Jackson revealed in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

A Baptist minister and prominent activist, Jackson emerged as a key figure in the US civil rights movement during the 1960s, working closely with Martin Luther King Jr. and participating in major marches advocating racial equality. He was present in Memphis in 1968 when King was assassinated, a defining moment in the struggle for civil rights.

Known for his powerful oratory and political activism, Jackson spent more than six decades expanding the political and social influence of Black Americans on the national stage. He twice sought the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in the 1980s, becoming the most prominent Black presidential contender before Barack Obama was elected president in 2009.

Beyond domestic activism, Jackson played an international diplomatic role, advocating for the end of apartheid in South Africa and serving as Presidential Special Envoy for Africa under Bill Clinton in the 1990s. He also undertook humanitarian missions to negotiate the release of American prisoners in countries including Syria, Iraq, and Serbia.

Throughout his life, Jackson remained a symbol of perseverance and social justice, once remarking that he was “not born with a silver spoon, but with a shovel,” reflecting his lifelong commitment to equality and opportunity.