Rev. Jesse Jackson, pioneering civil rights leader and presidential candidate, has died at 84 after being hospitalized for progressive supranuclear palsy. His son confirmed the death Tuesday morning, with family by his side according to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Jackson rose to prominence as a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s before becoming a transformative force in American politics. His two presidential campaigns in the 1980s inspired Black America and reshaped the Democratic Party by challenging its focus on White moderate voters.

The founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition leaves a complex legacy as both a trailblazer who broke racial barriers and a controversial figure who inspired millions. Jackson's motto 'Keep hope alive' captured his lifelong commitment to racial justice and equality that extended across three eras of American history.