Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson Leaves Hospital after Treatment for Neurological Disorder

December 1, 2025

Civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, age 84, was released from Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago after receiving treatment for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative condition. Originally diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2013, his condition was reclassified to PSP in April of the previous year, which causes similar symptoms but is a distinct disorder. The founder of Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, who was a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr.

Who is affected

Rev. Jesse Jackson (the patient)
Yusef Jackson (son and family spokesperson)
Illinois U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (son)
Jesse Jackson Jr., former Illinois congressman (son)
Other family members and relatives providing care
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition (organization he founded)
Medical and security staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Friends, supporters, and visitors including Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Judge Greg Mathis

What action is being taken

Rev. Jesse Jackson is receiving round-the-clock care at home
Family members, including his sons, are caring for him in shifts

Why it matters

This matters because Jesse Jackson is a historically significant civil rights leader who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr., founded the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and ran for president twice, making him an influential figure in American civil rights history and politics. His declining health represents the loss of a living connection to the civil rights movement, and his condition with PSP, a rare and incurable neurodegenerative disorder, highlights the challenges faced by aging civil rights pioneers and their families as they manage serious health conditions requiring intensive care.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint