CHICAGO – Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime civil rights leader and former presidential candidate, is hospitalized in Chicago, his family said Wednesday.
What we know:
Jackson, 84, rose to national prominence in the 1960s as a protégé of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and has spent more than six decades advocating for racial equality, economic justice and voter rights.
He also founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to social change and political empowerment.
Jackson has been battling a neurodegenerative disorder known as progressive supranuclear palsy for more than a decade, according to his family. He was initially treated for Parkinson’s syndrome, but his PSP diagnosis was confirmed last April.
Family members said he is currently hospitalized with symptoms related to the disease. According to sources, he is at Northwestern Memorial.
Further details about his condition have not been released.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by relatives of Jackson and sources.
