Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon who gained worldwide acclaim for his work, is currently hospitalized in Chicago, a source tells NBC Chicago.
A person familiar with the situation, who spoke to NBC Chicago on the condition of anonymity, told the station that Jackson is hospitalized in Chicago.
Jackson is in the hospital under observation for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, according to a statement from the organization he founded that fights for social change from its Chicago headquarters, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
“He has been managing this neurodegenerative condition for more than a decade,” Rainbow PUSH said in the statement. “He was originally diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; however, last April, his PSP condition was confirmed.”
Rainbow PUSH added that Jackson’s family “appreciates all prayers at this time.”
The 84-year-old gained national attention for his work in promoting civil rights, working with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and ultimately founding the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Jackson was ordained after attending school at the Chicago Theological Seminary, and became a fixture on the religious and political scenes in the city for decades, sometimes clashing with leaders like former Mayors Richard J. Daley and Jane Byrne and often working with local groups on education programs and anti-violence campaigns.
He also is a nationally renowned figure, receiving dozens of honorary degrees and speaking to audiences around the world.
Ultimately Jackson would launch multiple bids for president, competing in the 1984 Democratic primaries and then winning 11 primaries in 1988 before ultimately losing out on the nomination to Michael Dukakis.
Through it all, Jackson continued his work with a variety of organizations, especially the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which he helped found. Jackson became known as a fierce advocate for Black students to excel in school, pushing educational programs and for reforms across the country. He also advocated for criminal justice reform, pushing for legislation cracking down on illegal drugs and seeking strategies to reduce Black-on-Black crime.
He fought hard on behalf of Palestinian rights, and fought apartheid in South Africa, repeatedly pushing for the release of Nelson Mandela in the 1980s.
Jackson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by former President Bill Clinton in 2000.
In recent years Jackson has faced health challenges, revealing a Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis in 2017. Still, he has remained active in the fight for civil rights, pushing for strengthened voting rights legislation and fighting for criminal justice reform after the shooting death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Jackson stepped down as head of Rainbow PUSH in 2023, and has remained largely private in recent years.