Civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson died on Feb. 17 at age 84 after living over a decade with a progressive neurological condition.
The organization he founded, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, announced he died “peacefully” surrounded by his family that morning.
“Our father was a servant leader – not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” Jackson’s family said in a statement shared by the organization.
Jackson’s family didn’t specify his cause of death, but Jackson had been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder known as progressive supranuclear palsy, which can appear similar to Parkinson’s disease. He was hospitalized in November for observation of his condition and later released.
Here’s what we know about his condition:
What is progressive supranuclear palsy?
Progressive supranuclear palsy, also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, is a rare neurological disorder that impacts walking, balance, eye movement and swallowing, according to the Mayo Clinic. Common symptoms include a loss of balance, causing falls that can lead to injury, and an inability to aim or focus eyes.
Jackson was originally thought to have Parkinson’s disease, but his diagnosis of PSP was later confirmed, the Rainbow/PUSH coalition announced in 2025. PSP can be confused with Parkinson’s because the two share some similar symptoms.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of PSP that can also sometimes appear in Parkinson’s or dementia include:
Stiffness, particularly in the the neck, and awkward movements
Falling, especially backward
Slow and slurred speech, which can cause choking
Loss of interest in pleasurable activities, and depression or anxiety
Impulsive behavior, or laughing or crying for no reason
Trouble with reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making
Rigid facial muscles that give a surprised or frightened facial expression
Pneumonia, caused by aspiration, is the most common cause of death in people with progressive supranuclear palsy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
What causes progressive supranuclear palsy?
PSP’s exact causes aren’t known, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. It is thought to be caused by “damage to nerve cells in areas of the brain that control thinking and body movements,” the NINDS said. Progressive damage occurs in mainly the brain stem, and deposits of a protein called tau can spread in the brain, causing cells to die.
It occurs randomly, without a known cause, according to the NINDS. In the vast majority of cases, there is no known genetic link. There is no cure, but there are treatments that can help manage some symptoms.
PSP typically begins developing when a person is in their mid- to late-60s, which is later than when Parkinson’s develops.
“The disease usually worsens rapidly and most people with PSP develop severe disability within three to five years of symptom onset,” the NINDS said on its website.
When was Jesse Jackson diagnosed?
Jackson originally announced in 2017 that he had been living with Parkinson’s for a couple of years, and that his father had also had the condition.
“Now in the latter years of my life, at 76 years old, I find it increasingly difficult to perform routine tasks, and getting around is more of a challenge,” he said in 2017.
In 2025, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition announced that the diagnosis had changed to PSP.
Jackson was hospitalized in November
Jackson was hospitalized in November 2025 for observation of his PSP and was later discharged. He remained in stable condition during the stay.
In November 2021, he also underwent treatment after falling and hitting his head at Howard University, Reuters reported.
Contributing: Melina Khan
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How did Jesse Jackson die? What we know so far on cause of death
