Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson hospitalized for observation of rare neurological disorder

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., the iconic civil rights leader, has been hospitalized and is under observation for a neurodegenerative condition.

The news is announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition stating that the 84-year-old is being monitored for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

Jackson was battling with the rare disease over a decade.

In 2017, he was diagnosed with Parkinson disease but later his condition was confirmed as PSP.

The coalition said in a release, “The family appreciates all prayers at this time.”

Jackson got prominence as a protégé of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. He played a significant role in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference before funding Operation PUSH in 1971 to improve economic conditions in Black communities.

Later, in 1984, he launched the National Rainbow Coalition, with the organizations eventually merging.

His work over six decades is a cornerstone of the fight against racial inequality, economic justice, and voter rights.

In the 1980s, Jackson became the second Black American to seek a major-party presidential nomination when he ran as a Democrat.

What is progressive supranuclear palsy?

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare brain disease in which a person’s walking, balance, and eye movements get affected. The disease results from the damage of brain cells in areas that are responsible for body movement, coordination, thinking, and other important functions.

PSP is also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome. Over time, the disease worsened and led to complications such as pneumonia and trouble swallowing.