The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights leader, has been hospitalized in Chicago due to symptoms related to progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which Jackson founded, confirmed his hospitalization on Wednesday.

Jackson, 84, has been managing this neurodegenerative condition for over a decade. Initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, his PSP diagnosis was confirmed in April. The organization stated, "He has been managing this neurodegenerative condition for more than a decade. The family appreciates all prayers at this time."

PSP is a rare brain disorder that affects movement and balance. It is characterized by a buildup of tau protein in the brain, leading to symptoms such as difficulty with balance, eye movement, speech, and swallowing. Unlike Parkinson’s disease, PSP typically progresses more rapidly and has a more severe prognosis.

Jackson has been a significant figure in the civil rights movement since the 1960s. He worked alongside his mentor, Martin Luther King Jr., advocating for the rights of Black Americans and other marginalized groups. He was present during King's assassination in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.

In 2017, Jackson publicly announced his Parkinson’s diagnosis. He was hospitalized in 2021 after contracting COVID-19 and again following a fall that resulted in a head injury.

Born in 1941 in segregated Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson rose to national prominence during the civil rights movement. He founded Operation PUSH to encourage corporations to hire more Black Americans and established the Rainbow Coalition in the 1980s to unite various marginalized groups for social and political justice. Jackson was also the first Black presidential candidate to gain significant national support, receiving 3.5 million votes in 1984 and 7 million in 1988.