Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are mourning the loss of Rev Jesse Jackson, calling the late civil rights icon “a true giant” whose activism reshaped American political life.
In a joint statement released February 17, the former president and first lady said they were “deeply saddened” by Jackson’s passing and reflected on his six decades of advocacy.
“For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history,” they wrote. “From organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect.”
Jackson, a towering figure in the modern Civil Rights Movement, founded organizations that expanded voter access and economic opportunity for Black Americans. He also mounted two historic presidential campaigns in the 1980s, bids widely credited with broadening the political imagination for candidates of color.
Obama acknowledged that impact directly. “In his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land,” he said, underscoring Jackson’s influence on his 2008 breakthrough victory.
Barack & Michelle Obama Remember Rev Jesse Jackson
Michelle Obama also reflected on a personal connection that predated her years in the White House. “Michelle got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager,” the statement read, pointing to the Chicago roots that shaped both families.
The Obamas closed their tribute with gratitude and sympathy.
“Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders,” they said. “We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him.”
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