The Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA) joins millions of people in our country and around the world in lifting up the life and legacy of the late Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, who passed away on February 17, 2026. We mourn him as a hero for justice and honor his many trailblazing efforts to improve race relations, lead political party reform, fight for human rights, and resolve conflicts through innovative diplomacy.
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson championed peaceful, democratic change from his earliest days as part of the Greenville Eight, who helped desegregate the public library in his South Carolina hometown. He stood among the trusted lieutenants with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis at the moment of the civil rights leader’s brutal assassination. He carried on Dr. King’s vision in his life’s work. Jackson built the Chicago-based “Rainbow PUSH,” a diverse and inclusive political coalition that registered millions of voters. He led the Democratic party to transform the way it selects candidates, which paved the way for President Barack Obama’s historic 2008 run to become the first black U.S. president.
Internationally, Reverend Jackson frequently drew parallels between the South African fight to end apartheid rule and the U.S. African American struggle for full equality. Working with Reverend Leon Sullivan, he promoted the Sullivan Principles, a corporate code of conduct for businesses operating in South Africa. Reverend Jackson attracted massive crowds in Soweto when he toured the area in 1979. In 1984, he was the most prominent presidential candidate to support the imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela. He inspired the coalition that pressured the U.S. Congress to overturn President Ronald Reagan’s veto of anti apartheid sanctions in 1986.
Reverend Jackson is well known abroad for his success in negotiating high-stakes hostage releases. As President Clinton’s Special Envoy for Democracy and Human Rights in Africa from 1997-2001, Jackson fostered rebuilding and reconciliation after Liberia’s devastating
civil war. He also negotiated the release of four British hostages in that conflict. He also freed a Navy pilot in Syria, 48 hostages in Cuba, and three soldiers in Serbia.
Reverend Jackson showed that a more just and inclusive world is possible. He mastered non-violent protest. He took on challenging global problems and made diplomatic progress where others saw only political impasses. He helped open U.S. politics to new faces and voices. As a person of faith, he used his moral voice for peace, justice and equality. His amazing life and enduring legacy are models for the world.
February 27, 2026