American civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson has been admitted to a hospital in Chicago for medical observation. The 84-year-old icon is managing a serious neurodegenerative condition known as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, or PSP.
Details of His Hospitalization and Health Condition
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the organization founded by Jackson, released a statement on Wednesday confirming his hospitalization. The family has requested prayers from the public during this time.
Reverend Jackson was initially diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but doctors later confirmed in April 2024 that he has Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He has been living with this rare brain disorder for more than a decade.
PSP is a condition that affects a person's balance, movement, and cognitive functions. It is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease because the symptoms are very similar. This disorder primarily impacts people over the age of 60 and is more frequently found in men.
A Lifetime of Activism and Achievement
Born in 1941, Jesse Jackson is one of the most influential figures in American history. He was a protégé of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., leaving his studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary in the 1960s to join the Civil Rights Movement.
He worked directly with Dr. King in the historic fight for racial equality and social justice. His career is marked by several major accomplishments:
- He ran for President of the United States in 1984 and 1988, and his campaigns helped register more than three million new voters.
- In 1996, he established the Rainbow PUSH Coalition by merging two groups he had founded earlier: People United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) in 1971 and the Rainbow Coalition in 1984.
- He served as a shadow senator for Washington, D.C., in the 1990s, advocating for statehood for the capital.
- In 2000, former President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
- He has received more than 40 honorary doctoral degrees for his human rights work.
Jackson stepped down from his role as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in 2023, passing the leadership to a new generation.
Nationwide Support for a Veteran Leader
While no further details about his treatment or recovery have been made public, messages of support and prayers have been pouring in from across the country. People are remembering his lifelong dedication to justice and equality, which continues to inspire activists today.
