Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson

Acting

October 8, 1941 — February 17, 2026Greenville, South Carolina, USA

Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. (October 8, 1941 — February 17, 2026) was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He founded of both entities that merged to form Rainbow/PUSH. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. is his eldest son. In an AP-AOL "Black Voices" poll in February 2006, Jackson was voted 'the most important black leader'.

Known for

The Daily Show

The Daily Show

1996

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

1975

Real Time with Bill Maher

Real Time with Bill Maher

2003

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

2021

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003

LA 92

LA 92

2017

Explained

Explained

2018

Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip

Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip

1982

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

2021

A Different World

A Different World

1987

Acting84

Hollywood Black

Hollywood Black

2024

Self (archive footage)

South to Black Power

South to Black Power

2023

Self

Loudmouth

Loudmouth

2022

Self - Civil Rights Activist/Self - Baptist Minister (archive footage)

El otro Rey de Chicago

El otro Rey de Chicago

2022

Self

Punch 9 for Harold Washington

Punch 9 for Harold Washington

2021

Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over

Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over

2021

Self

Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union

Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union

2021

Self

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

2021

Self

September First, Twenty-Twenty

September First, Twenty-Twenty

2021

Himself

Spiritual Audacity: The Abraham Joshua Heschel Story

Spiritual Audacity: The Abraham Joshua Heschel Story

2021

Self

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

2021

Self (archive footage)

Killing Martin Luther King Jr.

Killing Martin Luther King Jr.

2021

Self

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

2021

Self (archive footage)

Obama

Obama

2020

Self

Bernie Blackout

Bernie Blackout

2020

Self (archive footage)

Someday We'll all Be Free: The Donny Hathaway Story

Someday We'll all Be Free: The Donny Hathaway Story

2020

Self

Stax, le label soul légendaire

Stax, le label soul légendaire

2019

Self (archive footage)

Chicago at the Crossroad

Chicago at the Crossroad

2019

Self

Shut Up and Dribble

Shut Up and Dribble

2018

Self - Civil Rights Leader

The Road to Mass Incarceration

The Road to Mass Incarceration

2018

Self

Explained

Explained

2018

Self (archive footage)

Rise Up: The Movement that Changed America

Rise Up: The Movement that Changed America

2018

Self

I Am MLK Jr.

I Am MLK Jr.

2018

Self

Hope & Fury: MLK, the Movement and the Media

Hope & Fury: MLK, the Movement and the Media

2018

Self

LA 92

LA 92

2017

Self (archive footage)

'85: The Greatest Team in Football History

'85: The Greatest Team in Football History

2016

Self

Crashing the Party

Crashing the Party

2016

Self

Fantastic Lies

Fantastic Lies

2016

Himself (archive footage)

We Are Many

We Are Many

2014

Self

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic

Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic

2013

Self

MLK: The Assassination Tapes

MLK: The Assassination Tapes

2012

Self (archive Footage)

A Man's Story

A Man's Story

2011

Self

Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound

Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound

2009

Self

Joy Behar: Say Anything!

Joy Behar: Say Anything!

2009

Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel

Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel

2009

Self

Michael Jackson Memorial

Michael Jackson Memorial

2009

Self

The Nine Lives of Marion Barry

The Nine Lives of Marion Barry

2009

Self

Anecdotes about Fidel

Anecdotes about Fidel

2009

The Day the Troubles Began

The Day the Troubles Began

2008

Self

Ballou

2008

Himself

King: Man of Peace in a Time of War

King: Man of Peace in a Time of War

2007

Self

Robins

Robins

2006

Self - Guest

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer

2005

Tanner on Tanner

Tanner on Tanner

2004

Self

Real Time with Bill Maher

Real Time with Bill Maher

2003

Self

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003

Self

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

2002

Self (archive footage)

BaadAsssss Cinema

BaadAsssss Cinema

2002

Self

Last Party 2000

Last Party 2000

2001

Self

The Subtext of a Yale Education

The Subtext of a Yale Education

1999

Self

University, Inc.

University, Inc.

1999

Self (Archive Footage)

4 Little Girls

4 Little Girls

1997

Self - Founder of the Rainbow Push Coalition

The Chris Rock Show

The Chris Rock Show

1997

Self

Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory

Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory

1997

The Daily Show

The Daily Show

1996

Self

The Journey of the African-American Athlete

The Journey of the African-American Athlete

1996

Self (archive footage)

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

1995

Cocky Locky (voice)

Baseball

Baseball

1994

Various (voice)

The Soul of Stax

The Soul of Stax

1994

Self

Crusade: The Life of Billy Graham

Crusade: The Life of Billy Graham

1993

Self

America's Political Parties: Power and Principle

America's Political Parties: Power and Principle

1992

Self

Decade

Decade

1989

Self

Route One/USA

Route One/USA

1989

Self

Jackie Robinson: An American Journey

Jackie Robinson: An American Journey

1988

On Screen Narrator

Tanner '88

Tanner '88

1988

Himself (uncredited)

A Different World

A Different World

1987

Himself

In Remembrance of Martin

In Remembrance of Martin

1986

Self

Not Necessarily the News

Not Necessarily the News

1983

Self (archive footage)

Amos 'n' Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy

Amos 'n' Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy

1983

Self

Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip

Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip

1982

Self - Audience Member (uncredited)

A Decade of Struggle

A Decade of Struggle

1980

Self

A Matter of Respect

A Matter of Respect

1980

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

1975

Self - Host / Self (uncredited)

Dinah!

Dinah!

1974

Self

Contradictory America. Faith, hope, love and hate. Film 2

Contradictory America. Faith, hope, love and hate. Film 2

1973

Self/Cameo (archive footage)

Save the Children

Save the Children

1973

Self

Wattstax

Wattstax

1973

Self

Nationtime: Gary

Nationtime: Gary

1972

Self

We Are Universal

We Are Universal

1971

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis

1970

Self (archive footage)

Operation Breadbasket

Operation Breadbasket

1969

Self

Uptight

Uptight

1968

Self (archive footage)

World in Action

World in Action

1963

Dear Mister President

Dear Mister President

Self