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Who Is Jesse Jackson?
Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader, played a crucial role in advocating for African American rights and social justice throughout his life. While an undergraduate, he became actively involved in the civil rights movement, notably marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. By the 1980s, Jackson emerged as a leading national spokesman for African Americans and was appointed as a special envoy to Africa. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. In late 2017, Jackson announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Early Years & Education
Jesse Louis Burns, known as Jesse Jackson, was born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina. His early life was marked by challenges; his mother, Helen Burns, was a high school student at the time of his birth, and his father, Noah Robinson, was a married neighbor who did not marry Helen. A year later, Helen married Charles Henry Jackson, a post office maintenance worker, who adopted Jesse.
Growing up in a segregated town, Jackson witnessed the stark realities of racial division firsthand. He recalled the limitations imposed by segregation, stating, “There was no grass in the yard… our school yard was full of sand. And if it rained, it turned into red dirt.” Despite these challenges, Jackson demonstrated promise as both a student and athlete. He was elected class president and attended the University of Illinois on a football scholarship. However, after one year, he transferred to the Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina (now North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University) in Greensboro, where he became involved in civil rights demonstrations.
Family
During his time in college, Jackson met Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, and they married in 1962. Together, they have five children: Santita (b. 1963), Jesse Jr. (b. 1965), Jonathan Luther (b. 1966), Yusef DuBois (b. 1970), and Jacqueline Lavinia (b. 1975).
Marching with Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1964, Jackson graduated with a degree in sociology and soon joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama, to participate in the civil rights march. He became an integral part of King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), where he was appointed director of Operation Breadbasket, the organization’s economic initiative.
Despite his passion and drive, Jackson’s time with the SCLC was not without conflict. While King initially appreciated Jackson’s energy, tensions arose due to Jackson’s independent actions within the organization. This culminated in a heated exchange just days before King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis. Jackson claimed he was the last to speak with King before his death, a statement that sparked controversy and allegations of exaggeration regarding his presence at the scene.
Ultimately, Jackson’s relationship with the SCLC soured, leading to his suspension and subsequent resignation in 1971. Despite these challenges, Jackson’s commitment to civil rights and social justice has left an indelible mark on American history.
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
In the same year that Jesse Jackson departed from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), he established Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity). Founded in Chicago, this organization aimed to advocate for Black self-help while also serving as a political platform for Jackson. In 1984, he furthered his commitment to civil rights by launching the National Rainbow Coalition, which focused on promoting equal rights for African Americans, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. In 1996, Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition merged to form the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, solidifying Jackson’s influence in the fight for social justice.
Running for President
As Jackson’s national profile grew, so did his political engagement. Beginning in the late 1970s, he traveled internationally to mediate conflicts and highlight pressing global issues. Notably, in 1979, he visited South Africa to denounce the country’s apartheid policies and later extended his advocacy to the Middle East, supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state. Additionally, he endorsed democratic initiatives in Haiti.
In 1984, Jackson made history by becoming the second African American, following Shirley Chisholm, to run for the U.S. presidency. His campaign was remarkable, as he secured third place in the Democratic primary, amassing approximately 3.5 million votes, thereby surpassing Chisholm’s electoral success. However, the campaign was marred by controversy when Jackson made inflammatory remarks about Jews during a January 1984 interview with the Washington Post. Following public backlash, he issued an apology one month later.
Jackson mounted a second presidential campaign in 1988, finishing second in the Democratic primaries to Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis and garnering over 7 million votes.
Later Years: Obama, Secret Love Child & Presidential Medal of Freedom
Although Jackson chose not to run for the presidency again, he remained a significant figure in American politics, advocating for African American rights and serving as a prominent speaker at Democratic conventions. In 1990, he achieved a political milestone by winning one of two special unpaid “statehood senator” positions created by the Washington City Council to lobby Congress for statehood for the District of Columbia.
Throughout his later years, Jackson occasionally found himself embroiled in controversies. In 2001, it was revealed that he had fathered a child out of wedlock. In 2008, during then-Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, Jackson faced criticism after accusing Obama of “talking down to Black people,” a statement for which he later apologized.
Despite these controversies, Jackson’s impact on American politics and civil rights is undeniable. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Additionally, that year, Jackson received a Master of Divinity degree from the Chicago Theological Seminary. He is also a noted author, with works including Straight from the Heart (1987) and Legal Lynching: Racism, Injustice, and the Death Penalty (1995).
Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis
On November 17, 2017, Jackson publicly disclosed his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. In a statement, he expressed that his family had noticed changes in his health over the previous three years. After extensive testing, his doctors confirmed the diagnosis, which he acknowledged as a condition that had affected his father. Jackson framed his diagnosis as a prompt to implement lifestyle changes and commit to physical therapy in an effort to slow the disease’s progression.