Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson was an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, politician, and LGBTQ rights advocate.

Jesse Jackson (October 8, 1941 – February 17, 2026) was an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, politician, and LGBTQ rights advocate. A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., he became one of the most prominent Black public figures in U.S. civil rights and presidential politics in the late 20th century. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, becoming the first African American man to make a serious bid for the office.

Early life and education

Jesse Louis Burns was born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina. He later adopted his stepfather's surname, Jackson. While a college student, he became involved in activism. He was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1968.

Civil rights leadership

Jackson became involved in the civil rights movement as a young man and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He helped found and lead Operation Breadbasket, an economic justice program, and later founded Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in 1971. His activism focused on racial equality, economic justice, and voter mobilisation.

Political career

Jackson ran for the Democratic nomination for U.S. president in 1984 and 1988, becoming the first African American man to make a serious bid for the office. He founded the National Rainbow Coalition in 1984, which later merged with Operation PUSH in 1996 to form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. In 1989, he served as an unpaid 'statehood senator' for Washington, D.C.

Later work and recognition

Jackson continued his activism through the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, focusing on civil rights, international mediation, and public advocacy. He was appointed as a special envoy to Africa and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. He was an early and prominent advocate for LGBTQ rights and broader social justice causes.