CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure of the American civil rights movement whose advocacy for racial justice, economic equality and voting rights spanned decades, has died at age 84.
A statement said Jackson died peacefully Tuesday morning while surrounded by his family.
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Jackson, born in Greenville, South Carolina, and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, became one of the most recognizable voices of the modern civil rights era. From helping millions register to vote to launching groundbreaking presidential campaigns in the 1980s, he helped expand political participation and elevate the concerns of marginalized communities at home and abroad.
“Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” said the Jackson family. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”
Public observances will be held in Chicago…