Maryland leaders react after the death of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson
Maryland leaders offered their condolences as they remembered civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson following his death.
His family announced Tuesday that Jackson died at the age of 84.
In 2017, Jackson said he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In November 2025, he was hospitalized, and doctors said he was diagnosed with a degenerative condition.
Jackson was known for his activism. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and ran for president in 1984 and 1988.
The National Civil Rights Museum described him as a "global ambassador for justice, peace, and equality."
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called Jackson a "giant of the civil rights movement and a champion for the dignity of working people."
"Of the many shoulders that we stand on, Jesse Jackson's were amongst the broadest," the governor said in a statement. "He led with love and reminded all of us of our voice and our power. Reverend Jackson was a trailblazer who never waited for permission or to ask for a seat at the table—he insisted on it, and he widened that table for generations to come."
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks also mourned the loss, saying, "He marched with Dr. King in tireless pursuit of voting rights and civil rights for Black Americans. He ran for president and forever changed the face of electoral politics, giving a voice to the overlooked and unheard. He flew around the globe as a humanitarian, chasing injustice across oceans and borders."
"Rev. Jackson prepared generations to carry the torch forward. And at a time when our nation's conscience doesn't always speak as loudly as it should, and many of the fights that Rev. Jackson fought are still ongoing, his example shows us that the way to keep hope alive for enduring justice is through the work we're willing to do for it," she added.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen praised Jackson as a leader who was ahead of his time.
"We must carry on his legacy by continuing his work of creating a more perfect union," Van Hollen said.
"Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. leaves behind an indelible legacy, one built not just on what he said, but on what he did: He showed up, he spoke out, and he lifted others as he climbed," the National Civil Rights Museum said.
Rep. Kweisi Mfume called Jackson a friend and a big brother.
"Jesse's passion for justice, fair play, and the dignity of all people mattered greatly to him," Mfume said. "He gave so much and asked for so little. His fearlessness, compassion, and meaningful life will forever be embodied in the history and eloquence of his example. Simply put for many of us, he was, and will always be, remembered as... the man, the message, and the movement."
