Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Leader, Dies at 84

Jesse Jackson, a key figure in the American civil rights movement, died at the age of 84 following a prolonged struggle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disorder. His family announced his passing in a statement on Tuesday, remembering him as a servant leader who fought for justice and equality.

Jackson was born in the segregated American South and rose to prominence during the 1960s civil rights movement, notably participating in the Greenville Eight's attempt to desegregate public libraries in Greenville, South Carolina. He was a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. and played a crucial role in advancing economic justice through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Operation Breadbasket.

Jackson ran for the Democratic presidential nomination twice, in 1984 and 1988, and later served as a shadow senator for Washington D.C. from 1991 to 1997. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in recognition of his decades-long commitment to civil rights and social change.