Former US presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton have led tributes to Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who has died at the age of 84. Jackson, described as a “titan” of the movement, was widely praised for his decades of work championing racial justice and human dignity.
Joe Biden called Jackson “a man of God and of the people”, adding that history would remember him as “determined and tenacious”. He highlighted Jackson’s role in helping the nation “through tumult and triumph” and his insistence on what is right and just.
Barack Obama described Jackson as “a true giant”, noting that his two presidential campaigns in the 1980s “laid the foundation” for Obama’s own historic election. Obama, along with his wife Michelle, expressed gratitude for Jackson’s lifetime of service and the friendship their families shared.
Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary said they were “deeply saddened” by Jackson’s passing, praising his efforts to “champion human dignity” and create opportunities for all. The Reverend Al Sharpton, a close ally, called Jackson “a consequential and transformative leader who changed this nation and the world”.
Vice-President Kamala Harris recalled her days as a law student with a ‘Jesse Jackson for President’ sticker on her car, saying Jackson taught that “our voices mattered”. She joined other senior Democrats, including Pete Buttigieg and Senator Raphael Warnock, in mourning a “selfless leader” and “great moral voice”.
