Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. (October 8, 1941 — February 17, 2026) was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He founded of both entities that merged to form Rainbow/PUSH. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. is his eldest son. In an AP-AOL "Black Voices" poll in February 2006, Jackson was voted 'the most important black leader'.
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He was an American civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and political figure widely known for his extensive activism and presidential campaigns.
He appears in numerous historical documentaries and archival records, including Summer of Soul, Wattstax, and LA 92.
He founded the coalition entities that later merged to form the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
