Civil Rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — According to multiple reports, iconic Civil Rights Activist and protege of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson  has died at the age of 84. , the towering civil rights leader whose moral vision and fiery oratory reshaped the Democratic Party and America, has died, his son said. He was 84.

Jackson, had been hospitalized in recently and was under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy. He died Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family.

In a statement from Jackson’s nonprofit social justice organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Jackson left a mark on history.

“His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity. A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless – from his Presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilizing millions to register to vote – leaving an indelible mark on history,” the statement read.

Born in South Carolina during the Jim Crowe Days of the Deep South, Jackson first rose to national prominence in the 1960s as a close aide to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. After King’s assassination in 1968, Jackson became one of the most transformative civil rights leaders in America — to the chagrin of some of King’s aides, who thought he was too brash.