Who Was Jesse Jackson Married To? Inside His Decades-Long Love Story With Jackie Jackson

Civil rights leader and former Democratic presidential candidate, Rev. Jesse Jackson, died on Feb. 17 at age 84, his family confirmed in a statement to NBC News.

"Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.”

As tributes pour in, many people are also reflecting on the personal side of his life — especially the marriage that lasted more than six decades.

Jesse married Jacqueline Lavinia “Jackie” Brown in 1962, and he remained married for the entirety of his public career. The couple stayed together until his death in 2026, with more than 63 years of marriage and entering their 64th year. According to Reuters, Jesse met Jackie in college, and they built their family as his activism grew and his national profile expanded. While Jesse rose to political fame, Jackie stayed out of the spotlight and focused on their home life.

Jesse had six children. While he and his wife, Jackie, raised five children together. Jesse later publicly acknowledged a sixth child, a daughter named Ashley, from an extramarital relationship with Karin Stanford, who worked with him professionally. The revelation sparked a major public scandal at the time. In 2001, Jessie released a statement to ABC News admitting the affair and taking responsibility.

"This is no time for evasions, denials, or alibis," Jesse said. "I fully accept responsibility and I am truly sorry for my actions."

Jesse’s family has not revealed a specific cause of death. According to TIME, the cause has not yet been disclosed, but the family explained that he died “peacefully.”

In his later years, Jesse faced serious health challenges. In 2017, he announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“For me, a Parkinson’s diagnosis is not a stop sign but rather a signal that I must make lifestyle changes and dedicate myself to physical therapy in hopes of slowing the disease’s progression,” he wrote,” per The Guardian.

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition also confirmed he had been living with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disorder, after initially being diagnosed with Parkinson’s.