Jesse Jackson, towering icon of civil rights, dies following lengthy illness

In a decades-long effort, Jesse Jackson stood alongside MLK, pushed for voting rights, shamed corporations and negotiated with world leaders.



His longevity is part of the story," said Rashad Robinson, the former president of the seven-million-member online justice organization Color of Change. "This is someone who had so many chances to do something else. And this is what chose to do with his life."

Jackson's death comes amidst a rising tide of white nationalism and voting-rights access issues, and follows the loss of other civil rights icons, including former Rep. John Lewis, who died in 2020.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/17/jesse-jackson-civil-rights-icon-dies/8245106002/