Daily Trust Editorial, Friday March 6, 2026
Rev. Jesse Jackson, famed U.S. civil rights leader died on Tuesday February 17, 2026. A globally acclaimed activist and political influencer, Jackson dedicated his youthful and adult life in pursuit of civil rights for disenfranchised groups both in America and abroad. Born Jesse Louis Jackson on October 8, 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, a community firmly entrenched in the racially segregated Deep South, his mother, Helen Burns Struggs, was 16 and unmarried when he was born. She gave him the name Jesse Louis Burns. In his teenage years, the mother married Charles Jackson, thus adopting his stepfather’s surname.
With a Sociology degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, a historically Black College in Greensboro, North Carolina. In 1964, Jackson attended Chicago Theological Seminary, following the path of Dr King and other religiously inspired civil rights activists just as he continued organising, leading Operation Breadbasket, an initiative of King’s to boycott businesses that didn’t employ black workers. He spoke at several national conventions, marched and helped expand the national movement for racial equality into a broad, people-powered coalition demanding systemic change.
In fact, he was one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, becoming a member of Martin Luther King Jr.’s circle and was with King when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968. From then on, he became a civil rights icon, working to advance Black America at every turn, challenging America to live up to its highest ideals. He provided leadership for many years towards advancing voting rights, economic justice, and educational opportunity, strengthening the very pillars of communities facing racially discriminatory policies.
In 1984, Jackson turned to politics, bidding for the presidency to “help restore a moral tone, a redemptive spirit, and sensitivity to the poor and dispossessed of this nation.” He finished third in the 1984 Democratic primary but with a remarkably strong showing, taking 18 per cent of all primary votes. This surprising success inspired Jackson to run for president again. In 1988, he did even better, winning nearly seven million votes and 11 contests as he swept the South during the primary season. In his second run, Jackson more than doubled his share of white votes, from 5% in 1984 to 12% in 1988.
Finishing second in the Democratic primary to then Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who would go on to lose the 1988 election to George H. W. Bush, his strong showing solidified his position as a major figure in American politics and a power broker in the Democratic Party.
Most importantly, his historic run for president inspired millions of Americans, bringing race into the forefront of his nation’s politics while forcing his admirers to embrace hope, both as a strategy and responsibility.
Perhaps Jackson’s greatest legacy is the Rainbow PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) Coalition. This was his landmark national service organisation focused on social justice and fighting for social change for all Americans. This was formed in 1996 when he merged two earlier organisations – PUSH, established in 1971 to improve the economic conditions in black communities and the Rainbow Coalition, founded in 1984, they are rooted in the Civil Rights Movement which grew out of Dr. King, Jr.’s economic programme Operation Breadbasket. For more than six decades, Jackson championed economic justice, voting rights, and equality – building a movement rooted in his call to “Keep Hope Alive.” He stepped down as president of Rainbow PUSH in 2023, serving as president emeritus until his death.
Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Donald Trump all paid glowing tributes to the “true giant” with Obama hailing Jackson for having “helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history.”
Daily Trust joins millions of Americans, especially blacks and his admirers across the world to mourn Jackson, a man who never allowed the segregation and unenviable background to break in and steal his soul. He showed an unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights. A tireless change agent, he left an indelible mark in the quest to bring the voice of the voiceless to mainstream, shaping and leading a global movement for freedom and dignity.
We, therefore, urge the Trump administration and indeed all Americans to honour Jackson’s legacy by continuing the work he championed – protecting the right to vote, expanding economic opportunity, and fighting for the freedom and dignity of Black people everywhere. We believe that this is time for America to look forward carry the gains of the civil rights movement into its next chapter. All Americans, and indeed the world should stay committed, stay organised, and remain faithful to the pursuit of justice.
May his soul rest in peace.
