The Nation and the World Mark Passing of Civil Rights Icon Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
The Family of Civil Rights Icon and Founder of Rainbow PUSH Coalition Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Dies at 84
Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., 84, an iconic figure in the fight for civil rights, international justice, and human dignity, passed away in the late hours of Monday night, Feb. 16, 2026. The esteemed founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that has forever redefined the moral and political fabric of our nation and the world.
While the world remembers this civil rights icon for his fight to save humanity and for the way he centered his fight on the plight of Black folks, Jackson’s unique love and pride for Detroit meant something far more meaningful for its people.
Jackson was born in Greenville, South Carolina, on Oct. 8, 1941, and moved to Chicago as a young man in the mid-1960s while still in his 20s.
For the more than six decades that followed, Rev. Jackson dedicated his life to advancing equality, dismantling systems of oppression, and amplifying the voices of the underserved.
Jesse Jackson graduated from the public schools in Greenville and then enrolled in the University of Illinois on a football scholarship. He later transferred to North Carolina A&T State University and graduated in 1964. He began his theological studies at Chicago Theological Seminary. However, he deferred his studies when he began working full-time in the Civil Rights Movement with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was ordained on June 30, 1968, by Rev. Clay Evans and earned his Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.
From marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a mentor and friend, Reverend Jackson continued his fight during the Civil Rights Movement to leading nationwide voter registration campaigns, notably during his presidential runs in 1984 and 1988—registering millions of new voters. Reverend Jackson remained steadfast in his mission to pave the way for the next generation of freedom fighters. He was a man of the people, welcomed in even the most rural areas, whether serving the impoverished or bringing his masterful guidance to hostage negotiations with world leaders.
As an advocate for the working class, he is fondly remembered as a man who had walked its picket lines, filled its churches, chastised its corporate boardrooms, and embraced its contradictions. For Chicago, urban centers, and enclaves around the country, Jackson was more than a presidential candidate or television orator. He was a regular presence in moments of crisis and possibility, and a man who came here to PUSH.
PUSH – the name he gave to Operation PUSH in 1971 and later expanded through Rainbow PUSH Coalition – wasn’t just an acronym or poetic jargon from a preacher. It was an ethic. People United to Save Humanity.
His tireless activism extended beyond American soil, championing human rights struggles on a global scale. Reverend Jackson’s fearless leadership brought attention to issues of racial discrimination, economic and gender inequality, social injustice, healthcare, education, and peace-building—earning him recognition as a true humanitarian and world leader.
Beyond his public achievements, Reverend Jackson will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and spiritual guide. To his family, he was a source of unwavering love and faith. To countless others, he was a mentor, a voice for the voiceless, and a symbol of resilience. Reverend Jackson’s passing marks the end of an era, but his vision of justice, equality, and unity will live on through the countless lives he touched.
His legacy will continue to inspire future generations through the tireless, dedicated work of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, an organization rooted in the progressive fight for social change.
Funeral arrangements and details for public memorial services will be shared in the coming days.