The Rev. Jesse Jackson, pioneering civil rights leader and former presidential candidate, has died at 84 after battling Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy.

A close associate of Martin Luther King Jr., he was present when King was assassinated in 1968 and later founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to advance social and economic justice.

Jackson ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, expanding Black political participation and influence despite controversy during his campaigns.

Over decades, he remained a prominent activist and global advocate for human rights, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000, CBS News has reported.

He is remembered for his lifelong commitment to equality and justice, leaving a lasting impact on American politics and the civil rights movement.