Rainbow PUSH names new leader after death of founder Rev. Jesse Jackson

Rainbow PUSH announced Thursday that Yusef Jackson, the youngest son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., would take over leadership of the coalition as president and CEO.

The organization's board of directors unanimously approved Yusef Jackson to take the reins, fulfilling his father’s wishes to designate his successor before his death. For the last two years, Yusef Jackson has served as the organization's chief operating officer.

“I am deeply grateful to my father for his trust, his guidance, and the example he set for all of us,” Yusef Jackson said in a statement.

The late reverend founded the civil rights organization in 1971 to address the social, cultural and economic needs of diverse communities, while advocating for the rights of disenfranchised Americans.

Jesse Jackson died Feb. 17 at age 84, surrounded by his family. The reverend had been in declining health for more than a decade. In 2017, he announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease two years earlier, but last April he revealed the diagnosis was actually progressive supranuclear palsy, a condition that also affects bodily movement. He was also hospitalized just months before he died.

A day after the reverend’s passing, Yusef Jackson said he would be taking over leadership of the coalition. Yusef Jackson said his brother, Jesse Jackson Jr., would also help lead the organization.

“My father’s leadership and legacy have left an indelible mark on our world," Yusef Jackson said in his Thursday statement. "I had the profound privilege of working alongside him as he tirelessly advocated for human rights and economic justice for all. His work to educate, register, and mobilize millions of voters helped transform our democracy."

The reverend’s death drew crowds from across the country to the city for weeks-long services honoring and celebrating his legacy. Homegoing services also drew celebrities and former presidents alike, including former presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton.

At the reverend’s funeral service, Yusef Jackson said his father spent his last months urging him to mobilize churches to feed those who lost food assistance during a historic government shutdown.

“I intend to die with my shoes on,” he recalled his father saying.

Yusef Jackson ended his message by recalling his father’s famous words: “Keep hope alive.”

Jesse Jackson stepped down as leader of the coalition in 2023 due to health concerns and named the Rev. Frederick Haynes III as his successor. But Hayes resigned less than three months later without saying why.