Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at age 84
Civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84 after being hospitalized.
Civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson died on February 17 at the age of 84 after living with a progressive neurological disease for more than a decade.
The group he founded, the Rainbow/Push Coalition, announced that he died “peacefully” that morning surrounded by his family.
“Our father was a servant leader, not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” Jackson’s family said in a statement shared by the organization.
Jackson’s family has not released a cause of death, but he had been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder known as progressive supranuclear palsy, which is similar to Parkinson’s disease. He was admitted to the hospital for observation in November, but was later discharged.
Here’s what we know about his condition:
What is progressive supranuclear palsy?
Progressive supranuclear palsy, also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, is a rare neurological disease that affects walking, balance, eye movements, and swallowing, according to the Mayo Clinic. Common symptoms include loss of balance, which can lead to falls, and an inability to aim or focus the eyes.
Mr. Jackson was initially thought to have Parkinson’s disease, but his diagnosis of PSP was later confirmed by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in 2025. PSP can be confused with Parkinson’s disease because it shares some similar symptoms.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of PSP, which can also sometimes appear in Parkinson’s disease or dementia, include:
- Stiffness, especially in the neck, and awkward movements
- Falls, especially backwards
- Speech that is slow and slurred (can cause choking)
- dysphagia
- light sensitivity
- sleep disorders
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities, depression or anxiety
- Acting impulsively or laughing or crying for no reason
- Difficulty reasoning, problem solving, and decision making
- Stiffness of facial muscles giving a surprised or frightened expression
- dizziness
According to the Mayo Clinic, pneumonia caused by aspiration is the most common cause of death in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy.
What causes progressive supranuclear palsy?
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the exact cause of PSP is unknown. According to NINDS, the condition is thought to be caused by “damage to nerve cells in areas of the brain that control thought and body movement.” The progressive damage occurs primarily in the brainstem, where deposits of a protein called tau can spread throughout the brain and cause cell death.
According to NINDS, the cause is unknown and occurs randomly. In most cases, there is no known genetic link. There is no cure, but there are treatments that can help manage some symptoms.
PSP usually begins to develop in people’s mid to late 60s, which is later than when Parkinson’s disease begins.
“The disease usually worsens rapidly, and most people with PSP develop severe disability within three to five years of symptom onset,” NINDS said on its website.
When was Jesse Jackson diagnosed?
Jackson originally announced in 2017 that she had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for several years and that her father also had the disease.
“Now, late in life, at age 76, I find it increasingly difficult to perform everyday tasks and find it more difficult to move around,” he said in 2017.
In 2025, the Rainbow/Push Alliance announced that the diagnosis name had been changed to PSP.
Mr. Jackson was hospitalized in November.
Jackson was admitted to the hospital in November 2025 for PSP observation and was later discharged. His condition remained stable during his stay.
According to Reuters, he also received treatment at Howard University in November 2021 after falling and hitting his head.
Contributor: Melina Khan
