Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama are paying tribute to Rev. Jesse Jackson following his death, remembering the civil rights leader as “a true giant” whose work altered the course of American politics.
In a joint statement issued February 17, the couple reflected on Jackson’s decades of activism and national influence. “For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history,” they wrote. “From organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect.”
Jackson was a central force in expanding voter participation and economic opportunity for Black communities. His presidential campaigns in the 1980s reshaped expectations about who could compete for the nation’s highest office.
Obama pointed to that influence directly, stating, “In his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land,” referencing the path that led to his 2008 election.
Michelle Obama also recalled an early encounter with political organizing. “Michelle got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager,” the statement noted, highlighting shared Chicago roots.
The couple concluded with appreciation and sympathy. “Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders,” they said. “We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him.”