Jesse Jackson reflects on MLK Jr.'s lessons on life and death

Jesse Jackson was a longtime associate of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. In a 2018 interview with the AJC, Jackson reflected on their friendship and the lessons King shared about embracing life in the face of danger. With death threats a constant reality for movement leaders, King urged Jackson to live fearlessly — an act of resistance that stayed with him long after King’s death. Jackson died February 17, 2026 at 84 years old. Credits: AJC | Joey Ivansco/AJC | Getty Images | AP