King Charles has penned a heartfelt message following the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Reverend Jackson was seen as the young protégé of Martin Luther King during the 1960s, later setting up the Rainbow-PUSH movement in Chicago.
He also played a leading role in the Democratic Party, running for the White House in 1984 and 1988.
His Majesty penned a message following the civil rights leader’s death saying: “My wife and I were deeply saddened to hear of the Reverend Jesse Jackson. We send our deepest sympathy to his family.
King Charles has penned a message following the death Reverend Jesse Jackson
|X
“I remember with great fondness meeting him in 2015 as we paid our respects at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC.
“Much like Dr. King, Reverend Jackson’s tireless commitment to civil rights and social justice had a profound impact on countless people around the world, and his legacy continues to inspire new generations by his love for all God’s children.
“My thoughts and prayers are with his family at a time of such heartbreaking loss.”
Reverend Jackson’s family revealed he died peacefully at the age of 84 in a statement.
The statement read: “Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.
“We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family.
Jesse Jackson was a leading figure of the civil rights movement | GETTY“His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honour his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.
“A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless from his presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilising millions to register to vote - leaving an indelible mark on history.”
Despite appearing at the Democratic National Convention in 2024, Reverend Jackson has been battling progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) for more than a decade.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS
PSP is “a rare neurological disorder that affects body movements, walking and balance, and eye movements,” the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has said.
Reverend Jackson also announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017.
The civil rights leader was hospitalised last November for treatment to regulate his blood pressure.
Reverend Jesse Jackson also announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2017 | GETTYReverend Jackson met his wife, Jacqueline, during college, with the couple later sharing five children – Santita, Jesse Jr, Jonathan Luther, Yusef DuBois, and Jacqueline Jr.
He would go on to have a sixth child, Ashley, following an extramarital affair with Karin Stanford in the early 2000s.
Reverend Jackson struck up a friendship with Reverend Luther King Jr when non-violent protesters were beaten by law enforcement in Selma, Alabama, in 1964.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter