Jesse Jackson: Veteran civil rights leader wey help reshape America die at 83

Jesse Jackson, wey be celebrated civil rights leader don die early on Tuesday, afta battling di neurodegenerative disorder Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), im family tok inside one statement.

"Na wit profound sadness we dey announce di passing of Civil Rights leader and founder of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, di Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. don pass away," di statement tok.

"E die peacefully for Tuesday morning, surrounded by im family.

"Im unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights help shape global movement for freedom and dignity. E be tireless change agent, wey elevate voices of di voiceless from im Presidential campaigns for 1980s to mobilising plenty people to register and to vote - e leave behind strong mark for history.

''Our father na servant leader - no be only to our family, but to di oppressed, di voiceless, and di pipo wey dem dey overlook around di world. We share am wit di world, and in return, di world become part of our extended family. Im unwavering belief in for justice, equality, and love wey don uplift millions, and we dey ask you am you honour im memory by continuing di fight for di value wey e stand for." Di statement add.

Life and Times of Jesse Jackson wey clear road for Barack Obama - and help change US

Jesse Jackson na di first African-American to make di jump from activism to major-party presidential politics.

As Martin Luther King Jr. protege, Jackson build im career to dey organise politically and beta life for African-Americans, and e become national force during im two White House campaigns.

While oda African Americans dey try aim for US presidency, Jackson na di first wey find significant success for ballot – wey open door for pipo like Barack Obama and Kamala Harris.

Ova di course of im career, Jackson build movement to bring America wey dey increasingly diverse population togada wit message wey focus on poor and working-class Americans.

"No oda person for Democratic Party talk about multiracial, multi-ethnic democracy," Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders tok for one event for Chicago for August 2024 wey celebrate Jackson. "Dis movement no be about just to bring us togada, but to join us around progressive agenda."

Jackson wey be gifted orator, tok about di frustration of pipo wey dey feel like second-class citizens for di richest democracy for di world. Im speech for di 1988 Democratic National Convention wey end wit di line "keep hope alive", go later dey echoed by Obama for im successful 2008 presidential campaign slogan - "hope and change".

Afta im historic run for di presidential campaign, Jackson come position imself as elder statesman for di Democratic Party.

But di later years, Jackson later face plenty scandal, including revelation of say e cheat for marriage and financial issues wey concern im son and politics, Jesse Jackson Jr, serve as congressman from Illinois.

For 2017, di elder Jackson get diagnosis for Parkinson' disease and e withdraw from public life. Later, dem change di diagnosis to progressive supranuclear palsy, wey be brain disease wey get similar symptoms.

Dem born Jackson for Jesse Louis Burns on 8 October 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina - di son of 16-year-old Helen Burns. Dem bin expel im mama becos she be unmarried woman from her local Baptist church afta she carry belle - di result of di affair wit 33-year-old married neighbour, Noah Robinson.

Wen Jackson bin dey age two, im mother marry Charles Jackson, wey later adopt am as new stepson. Jesse Jackson continue to contact im papa Robinson, and regard both men as im fathers.

Charles Jackson na religious man, and im bring up im son for church - traditional focus for black political resistance since di time of American slavery.

As e dey grow for South Carolina, Jackson, like all black Americans, dey segregated from im white neighbours. Dem force am go different school and only allow am enta some area for public places like buses or restaurant.

Tributes pour in for Jesse Jackson

American-British playwright and author, Bonnie Greer don call Jesse Jackson "a great man".

"Di ranks dey reduce, unfortunately," she tell BBC News.

"E be like big brother to my generation. We be di children of di civil rights generation," she tok.

Greer tok say Jackson dey act like "bridge" between di generations wey dey fight for civil rights.

"E kind of interpret us to dem," she tok, plus she add, "im na figure wey we no get anymore."

"Na man wey dey see di big picture, e fit see di small picture, e put dem togeda to make di idea of America and di world wey im see - a world wia pipo be equal, dem also get beta for being equal."

Also, Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, wey work closely wit Jackson during civil di rights movement, tok say na im mentor and e say e just "pray wit im family for phone".

Jackson na "consequential and transformative leader wey change dis nation and di world", Sharpton tok for one statement on X.

"E shape public policy and change laws. E keep di dream strong and teach young children wey come from broken homes, like me, say we no get broken spirits," Sharpton tok.

"E tell us say we be somebody and make us believe. I go always cherish say e take me under im wing, and I go forever try do my part to keep hope alive.

"One giant don go home. Sending prayers, so many prayers, love, and heartfelt condolences to di Jackson family and to all the pipo around di world wey im don touch dia life and wey love am."