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Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate, dies at 84
Summary
Jesse Jackson, a prominent U.S. civil rights leader who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, has died at 84, his family said. He disclosed a Parkinson's diagnosis in 2017.
Content
Jesse Jackson, a prominent U.S. civil rights leader who sought the Democratic presidential nomination twice, has died at age 84, his family said. The family statement, cited by CBS News, said he died surrounded by family. Jackson disclosed in 2017 that he had Parkinson's disease. He was an aide to Martin Luther King Jr. and later led organizations focused on economic and political power for minorities.
Key facts:
- Jackson died at 84, and his family issued a statement reported by CBS News.
- He disclosed a Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2017 and remained active in public causes afterward.
- He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 (winning about 18% of primary votes) and in 1988 (about 29% of the vote and 13 primary or caucus wins), as reported.
- He founded Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition, later merged as Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and stepped down as its president in 2023.
Summary:
Jackson was a visible figure in the American civil rights movement who continued public advocacy through organizations and political campaigns across decades. His presidential runs in the 1980s brought wider national attention to questions of race and economic opportunity. Undetermined at this time.
