Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson, 84, hospitalized in Chicago

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has been hospitalized in Chicago, his organization announced.

Jackson, 84, is being treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and remains under observation for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), according to a statement from the Rainbow PUSH Coalition shared with ABC7-Chicago. The organization did not provide details about his current condition but said Jackson has been managing the neurodegenerative disorder for more than a decade.

He was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease before doctors confirmed PSP in April, the statement said. Jackson’s family is asking for prayers as he receives care.

A protégé of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson has spent his life championing civil rights and equality. He ran for president in 1984 and 1988 and has received numerous honors for his decades of activism, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. Jackson also holds more than 40 honorary doctorate degrees and has lectured at leading universities nationwide.

He founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to promote economic and educational opportunities for people of color. Jackson stepped down as the organization’s president in 2023 and has largely stayed out of the public eye since then.

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a rare brain disorder that affects movement, balance, and speech. While there is no cure, treatment focuses on easing symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition has not yet issued additional comments regarding Jackson’s condition.

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