For more than five decades, Rev. Jesse Jackson stood at the center of America’s civil rights movement. On Tuesday, his family confirmed the news that closes a historic chapter.The longtime activist, Baptist minister, and two-time presidential candidate died February 17, 2026, at 84, according to NBC News. A cause of death was not immediately given.He is survived by six children.He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family, the Jackson family said in an official statement.

“His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity,” the family said in a statement announcing his passing.The family confirmed that he is survived by his wife, Jacqueline; their children — Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, and daughter Ashley Jackson; and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Burns Jackson; father, Noah Louis Robinson; and stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson.”Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the family added. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”Public observances will be held in Chicago. Final arrangements will be released by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.