Tucson Leaders Reflect on Civil Rights Icon Jesse Jackson's Legacy

Jackson, who died at 84, was remembered as a defining voice in the civil rights movement who inspired generations of Americans.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 11:23am

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Communities across the country are remembering civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson and the decades of activism that shaped generations of Americans. Jackson died Tuesday at his home in Chicago at the age of 84. In Tucson, leaders at the Dunbar Pavilion and the African American History Museum of Southern Arizona say his legacy is both historic and deeply personal, with one describing him as a figure who represented not just a person, but a philosophy.

Why it matters

Jackson was a central figure in the civil rights movement, marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., founding the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and launching two presidential campaigns in the 1980s that expanded what many believed was politically possible for Black Americans. His passing marks the end of an era and underscores the ongoing work to continue his legacy of fighting for social and economic justice.

The details

For more than six decades, Jackson was a defining voice in the civil rights movement. He marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and launched two presidential campaigns in the 1980s that expanded what many believed was politically possible for Black Americans. In Tucson, leaders at the Dunbar Pavilion and the African American History Museum of Southern Arizona say his legacy is both historic and deeply personal, with one describing him as a figure who represented not just a person, but a philosophy.

  • Jackson died on Tuesday at his home in Chicago.
  • Jackson was a regular presence at NBA All-Star Weekend events, but did not appear at this year's festivities, raising concerns.

The players

Rev. Jesse Jackson

A civil rights leader who was a defining voice in the civil rights movement for more than six decades, marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., founding the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and launching two presidential campaigns in the 1980s.

Freda Marshall

The executive director of the Dunbar Pavilion in Tucson, Arizona, a cultural and community center that was once a segregated school.

Bob Elliott

The founder of the African American History Museum of Southern Arizona, who had a personal connection to Jackson through his cousin, Archbishop James Lake, who was part of Dr. King's inner circle.

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What they’re saying

“The entire world has lost a champion, but he is well deserving of his rest.”

— Freda Marshall, Executive Director, Dunbar Pavilion (kgun9.com)

“We've lost a person who represents a lot of people. Lost a person who represented a way of thinking that... why did he call it the Rainbow Coalition? Because there's a lot of colors in the rainbow.”

— Bob Elliott, Founder, African American History Museum of Southern Arizona (kgun9.com)

“It has been a very sad day for me, even though we knew he was very ill. When the moment comes, you're not prepared for it.”

— Rev. Al Sharpton (kgun9.com)

The takeaway

Jackson's decades-long fight, from the segregated South to national political influence, serves as a reminder that progress requires persistence. His legacy continues to inspire leaders in Tucson and across the country to carry forward the work of advancing civil rights and social justice.