Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights activist and former shadow D.C. senator, is now on a form of life support after being hospitalized last week for a neurodegenerative condition, according to multiple reports.
CNN reported that Jackson, 84, is receiving a form of life support to stabilize his blood pressure. He was previously admitted to a local hospital for progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disorder similar to Parkinson’s that he has faced for over a decade.
The report added that Jackson has shown some signs of responsiveness to medication, but had a significant drop in blood pressure on Saturday night.
Jackson is a well-known figure on the Left, particularly for his activism. In 1971, he founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a Chicago-based social justice organization. He stepped down from that leadership role in 2023.
He also launched two unsuccessful bids for the U.S. presidency, in 1984 and 1988, falling short of the Democratic nomination both times.
LEFT-WING ACTIVIST JESSE JACKSON HOSPITALIZED WITH PROGRESSIVE SUPRANUCLEAR PALSY
Years after, he served as a shadow senator for Washington, D.C. While an elected position, it has no voting power in the Senate and is mostly a lobbying role.
Jackson has not been out of the spotlight since stepping down from Rainbow PUSH, however. In 2024, he appeared onstage at the Democratic National Convention in support of then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
