Barack Obama Honors The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Says He And Michelle 'Stood On His Shoulders'

The former president took to social media on Tuesday to thank the civil rights leader for both personal and professional reasons.

Feb. 19, 2026 at 2:47pm

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Barack Obama took to social media on Tuesday to honor the Rev. Jesse Jackson, whom he called a 'true giant.' Jackson died Tuesday at the age of 84, and the former president said he and his wife, Michelle Obama, were 'deeply saddened' by the news for reasons that were both personal and professional.

Why it matters

Obama acknowledged that Jackson's presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 'laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land.' This, though, was a sore spot for Jackson, who friends have said felt Obama did not give him enough credit for those efforts.

The details

In an official statement, Obama said that 'For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history,' including 'organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world.' Obama also noted that Jackson's work had a major effect on both him and his wife, and that Michelle 'got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons' kitchen table when she was a teenager.'

  • Rev. Jesse Jackson died on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

The players

Barack Obama

The former president of the United States, who honored Rev. Jesse Jackson in a social media post.

Michelle Obama

The wife of former president Barack Obama, who the Obamas said 'got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons' kitchen table when she was a teenager.'

Rev. Jesse Jackson

A civil rights leader who died on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at the age of 84.

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What they’re saying

“For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history. From organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect.”

— Barack Obama, Former President of the United States

“We stood on his shoulders. We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him.”

— Barack Obama, Former President of the United States

The takeaway

This tribute from former President Obama highlights the immense impact and legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson, a pioneering civil rights leader whose work paved the way for future generations of activists and political leaders, including the Obamas themselves.