The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after the King's assassination, died Tuesday. He was 84.
The news of Rev. Jackson's passing reverberated across the country and throughout many communities, including the football world. In addition, to being a historic civil rights leader and activist, Rev. Jackson also had a lifelong connection to football, the Chicago Bears, and the NFL.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jesse Jackson, one of America's most distinguished civil rights leaders. Reverend Jackson fought for equality and challenged the status quo to help build a stronger nation," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement on Tuesday. "As a quarterback for North Carolina A&T and a loyal Chicago Bears fan, Reverend Jackson also understood the power of football to bring people together and make meaningful change. The NFL extends our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the people he inspired."
Jesse Louis Jackson was born Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, the son of high school student Helen Burns and Noah Louis Robinson, a married man who lived next door. Jackson was later adopted by Charles Henry Jackson, who married his mother.
Jackson was a star quarterback on the football team at Sterling High School in Greenville, and he accepted a football scholarship from the University of Illinois. But after reportedly being told that Black people couldn't play quarterback, he transferred to North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, where he became the first-string quarterback, an honor student in sociology and economics, and student body president.
Rev. Jackson was inducted into the university's sports hall of fame in 1984.
As a Chicago-based leader and icon, Jackson embraced the city's deep football spirit. He was a Bears fan and could often be found at training camp and games at Soldier Field. He was also a frequent Super Bowl attendee.
"We join many people around the globe in mourning the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson," the Bears said in a statement on Tuesday. "We are grateful for the revolutionary fortitude of Rev. Jackson in the fight for equality, fairness, and progression in our country. Through his unparalleled leadership in civil rights activism and human rights advocacy, Rev. Jackson became a voice for the voiceless and a guardian for the oppressed, providing influential hope and unifying empowerment.
"A proud Chicagoan, and a fan of the Chicago Bears, Rev. Jackson's enduring impact extends beyond our national borders, throughout the world, and across generations. Rev. Jackson was rooted in fairness, justice, equality, and, most importantly, love -- blazing a transcendent path that we walk to this day, and we will follow forever.
"We extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Jackson family and loved ones of Rev. Jackson, and we will honor Rev. Jackson's legacy by continuing to advocate and fight for fundamental justices, equality, fairness, and positive change."
Rev. Jackson also left an indelible impact on the life of the son of one of the Bears' legends, Walter Payton. Jarrett Payton shared a photo on social media of the day Rev. Jackson baptized him when he was a baby.
"Years later, on the day of my father's memorial service, he asked me a question that changed my life forever," Payton wrote. "As we got into the limo, he looked at me and said, 'What are you going to do now?' I told him I was going to take some time off. He paused, then asked, 'What would your dad want you to do?'
"He reminded me that my dad would want me back in Miami, playing football, and continuing my journey.
"That moment changed the course of my life for the better. I'll always be grateful for his mentorship, his wisdom, and the love he showed me."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
