Bill and Hillary Clinton visit Rev. Jesse Jackson at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
As Rev. Jesse Jackson's condition remains stable, the civil rights leader who twice ran for president in the 1980s, received a visit from former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Jackson, 84, had been admitted to the hospital earlier this month and was under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy, a neurodegenerative condition he has been managing for more than a decade, according to the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, which Jackson founded in 1971 in an effort to improve the economic and political lives of Black Americans. He stepped down as its leader in 2023.
The organization said the Clintons shared support for Jackson's leadership and "commitment to protecting and defending civil rights, promoting peace and justice around the world."
Jackson was also hospitalized last month for a lung infection. In recent months, his relatives, including sons U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson and Jesse Jackson Jr., a former Illinois congressman seeking reelection, have been providing 24-hour care in shifts.
The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition said Friday that Jackson remains stable and in good care at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
"The Jackson family is grateful for the dedicated medical team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and extends heartfelt appreciation for the many prayers and kind messages offered during this time," the organization said in a statement.
The reverend has struggled to keep his eyes open and is unable to speak. But he has found ways to communicate with family and friends who visit, his son Jesse Jackson Jr. told The Associated Press last month.
"He'll squeeze your hand," he said.