Reverend Jesse Jackson is in stable condition and is breathing on his own without the assistance of machines, despite ‘inaccurate media reports’ claiming he was on life support, the iconic civil rights leader’s family announced.
The 84-year-old two-time Democratic presidential candidate was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago on Wednesday so that doctors could observe and treat Progressive Supranuclear Palsy – a neurodegenerative condition Jackson has been managing for more than a decade.
A family source told CNN the civil rights leader suffered a significant drop in blood pressure Saturday night, but the medical team responded immediately and started giving him medication to raise his blood pressure.
He has had brief but meaningful signs of responsiveness under the medication, but over the last 24 hours, Jackson’s condition has improved and he has been able to maintain a stable blood pressure without the medication, the source claimed.
Jackson is now doing well enough that he has gotten back to work, his son, Yusef, said in a statement.
‘Today, he called 2,000 churches to prepare 2,000 baskets of food to prevent malnutrition during the holiday season,’ he said Sunday.
The family added that they are ‘grateful for the dedicated medical team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where Rev. Jackson is receiving appropriate treatment.
‘The Jackson family extends heartfelt appreciation for the many prayers and kind messages offering during this time.’
Reverend Jesse Jackson is in stable condition and is breathing on his own without the assistance of machines, his family announced
The 84-year-old was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday so that doctors could observe and treat Progressive Supranuclear Palsy – a neurodegenerative condition Jackson has been managing for more than a decade. He is pictured here with his family in 2022
Jackson, who rose to prominence as a protege of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr in the 1960s, was originally diagnosed with Parkinson’s, which has similar symptoms as PSP, but was confirmed to have PSP in April.
There is no known cure for the neurological disorder, which impacts body movements, walking, balance and eye movements.
It is caused by damage to nerve cells in areas of the brain that control thinking and body movement, and typically begins in a person’s 60s, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
The disease tends to worsen rapidly, with most people with the condition developing severe disabilities within three to five years of symptom onset.
It can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, choking or head injuries from falls.
Following the news of Jackson’s health scare, many shared their prayers online.
‘I am praying for the Rev. Jesse Jackson, whose courageous voice and transformational ministry I’ve admired since childhood,’ Sen. Raphael Warnock, of Georgia, posted on X.
‘Strength and grace to him in this season.’
Jackson became a prominent figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, after working to desegregate the local public library in Greenville in the 60s, and then as leader of the sit-in movement. He is pictured delivering a speech in 1960
The minister’s work eventually got the attention of Dr. Martin Luther King, and Jackson became his protege. The two are pictured together in 1966
The Rev. Al Sharpton also issued a statement saying he is praying for Jackson, ‘someone who has been a mentor, a friend and a brother for more than 55 years.
‘I first met Rev. Jackson when I was 12 years old as the Youth Director of Operation Breadbasket, which he led under the tutelage of Dr. King. We have been friends and allies in the movement for justice ever since,’ Sharpton continued.
‘He has always been a fighter and I am certain he certainly is at this moment.’
Jackson, born in Greenville, South Carolina, attended the University of Illinois before he transferred and graduated from the North Carolina A&T State University in 1964.
His role in activism began with his mission to desegregate the local public library in Greenville in the 60s, and then as leader of the sit-in movement.
By 1965, he became a full-time organizer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
His work eventually caught the attention of Martin Luther King Jr – who appointed Jackson to direct the Operation Breadbasket program, which sought to improve the economic conditions of African Americans by promoting employment and boycotting businesses.
Jackson twice ran for president as a Democrat, but lost both times. He is pictured at a presidential campaign stop in June 1984
He was ordained in 1967 and received his Master of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000
Jackson was ordained in 1967 and received his Master of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.
In December 1971, Jackson founded Operation PUSH [People United to Serve Humanity] in Chicago, which advocated for economic empowerment, educational expanse, and business and employment equality.
He then founded the National Rainbow Coalition in 1984, a social justice organization based in Washington DC that advocated for political empowerment, education and advocating for changing public policy.
The two organizations merged in 1996.
Amid these efforts, Jackson campaigned for the presidency in 1984 and 1988, breaking new ground in US politics.
In his first campaign, he garnered 3.5 million votes and helped the Democratic Party regain control of the Senate in 1986. His second campaign saw over two million new voters and garnered him seven million votes.
![In December 1971, Jackson founded Operation PUSH [People United to Serve Humanity] in Chicago. The civil rights icon is pictured here with then Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in 2007](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/11/17/06/103935901-15297423-In_December_1971_Jackson_founded_Operation_PUSH_People_United_to-a-4_1763359780514.jpg)
In December 1971, Jackson founded Operation PUSH [People United to Serve Humanity] in Chicago. The civil rights icon is pictured here with then Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in 2007
One year before the 1984 presidential election, Baptist minister and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson hugs former New York congresswoman Shirley Chisholm after announcing his candidacy for the US presidency
Jackson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Bill Clinton on August 9, 2000
Despite losing those races, Jackson was elected senator of Washington DC in 1991. In that role he advocated for statehood for the nation’s capitol and advanced the ‘rainbow’ agenda at national and international levels, according to his coalition.
In October 1997, Jackson was also appointed by former President Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as ‘Special Envoy of the President and Secretary of State for the Promotion of Democracy in Africa.’
The position saw him travel to several countries in Africa and met with leaders such as President Nelson Mandela of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya, and President Frederick JT Chiluba of Zambia.
He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Bill Clinton on August 9, 2000 and has received more than 40 honorary doctorate degrees as he lectured at major colleges and universities.
In more recent years, Jackson has ‘continued to promote voter registration and lead get-out-the-vote campaigns, believing that everyone should be encourage to be a responsible, informed and active voter,’ his PUSH Coalition said.
It added that he also backed and advocated for policies such as universal healthcare, equal administration of justice, sufficient funding for the enforcement of civil rights laws, and increased attention on business investment in underserved domestic communities.
For his work, the reverend has been dubbed the ‘Conscience of the Nation’ and ‘the Great Unifier,’ according to the PUSH coalition.
‘Jackson [challenged] America to be inclusive and to establish just and humane priorities for the benefit of all,’ the coalition said. ‘He is known for bringing people together on common ground across lines of race, culture, class, gender and belief.’
The civil rights activist married his college sweetheart Jacqueline Lavinia Brown in 1963, with whom he shares five children.
