Reverend Jesse Jackson, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement who fought with Martin Luther King Jr., helped negotiate the global hostage crisis and criticized corporations for their insufficient diversity and lack of support for voting rights. He was 84 years old.
Rev. Jesse Jackson dies at 84 (AP)The civil rights leader was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease ten years ago. He was hospitalized on November 12 last year after a long battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a progressive neuromuscular disease similar to Parkinson’s disease.
Also read: Jesse Jackson’s Family and Net Worth: We know about his relationship with his wife, children and partner
What is progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)?Progressive supranuclear palsy is a rare neurological disorder that affects walking, balance, eye movements, and swallowing. The condition arises from the degeneration of cells in the brain region responsible for body movement, coordination, cognition and other important functions.
Progressive supranuclear palsy is also called Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome.
The condition worsens over time and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and difficulty swallowing.
Currently, there is no cure for progressive supranuclear palsy, thus treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms.
It affects movement, balance, eye movement and swallowing. Other symptoms include stiffness, sensitivity to bright light, sleep problems, depression and anxiety, and dizziness.
Jackson received the Medal of FreedomJackson was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, and is recognized worldwide as one of the most prominent black activists.
Despite an illness that affected his voice and reduced his mobility, he remained adamant about his civil rights, facing arrest twice in 2021 for opposing Senate filibuster rules. That same year, he and his wife Jacqueline were hospitalized with complications from COVID-19 at a hospital in Chicago.
He made two failed attempts to become the first black president of the United States, and his career has been marked by various controversies.
Jackson was born in October 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina to Helen Barnes and her older married neighbor, Noah, a 16-year-old schoolgirl.
A year later, his mother married postal worker Charles Jackson, who then adopted the young child.
