US civil rights veteran and two-time US presidential candidate Jesse Jackson passed away on Tuesday at the age of 84, his family confirmed. He was also a longtime associate of another American civil rights stalwart Martin Luther King Jr.He died at home surrounded by relatives after prolonged health complications, including Parkinson’s disease and a rare neurological disorder, progressive supranuclear palsy, AP reported.“His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by,” the family was quoted by AFP as saying.Jackson rose from humble beginnings in segregated South Carolina to become one of America’s most prominent activists, championing voting rights, jobs, education, healthcare and racial equality for over five decades. A key figure in the civil rights movement after King’s assassination in 1968, he founded Operation PUSH and later the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition to promote social justice and economic inclusion.Known for his powerful oratory and slogans like “Keep Hope Alive,” Jackson ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, winning several primaries and expanding political opportunities for minorities.In 2000, Jackson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honour, from then-President Bill Clinton.