Jesse Jackson

Born Jesse Jackson was an ordained minister, politician, and civil rights activist. He was a protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and established the two organizations that eventually merged to form the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Jackson mounted presidential campaigns for the United States in both 1984 and 1988. Although unsuccessful in his presidential bids, he served as a shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. In 2009, the Congressional Black Caucus honored him to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his 1984 presidential campaign. Jesse Jackson died on February 17, 2026.