Reverend Jackson is no stranger to East Tennessee. Ten years ago in 2015, he was presented an award in by the "Great Golden Gathering" of African-American alumni. He could not attend in person to receive the award as his mother, Helen Burns Jackson had just passed away in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina. Below is a screen grab from the video message he sent to the Gathering's banquet.
Rev. Jackson has also spoken at churches in Chattanooga and Knoxville. Born in Greenville, he recounted to the Great Golden Gather alumni how his old high school used to travel to East Tennessee quite often to play local schools in the area in basketball.
In a statement shared by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, officials confirmed that Jackson, 84, was admitted to a local hospital on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 by police escort and was under observation for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a condition he has been managing for more than a decade.
“The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. was admitted to the hospital today and is currently under observation for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). He has been managing this neurodegenerative condition for more than a decade. He was originally diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; however, last April, his PSP condition was confirmed. The family appreciates all prayers at this time,” a spokesperson for the coalition said.
PSP is a rare neurodegenerative disorder that impacts movement, balance, eye coordination and cognition. PSP shares some symptoms with Parkinson’s disease, though it is known to progress at a more rapid rate.
