TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson died Tuesday morning at the age of 84, leaving behind a legacy of activism and leadership that reached communities across the country, including in the Big Bend.
Jackson maintained close ties to local civil rights leaders throughout his life. Derek Steele, son of the late Reverend C.K. Steele, said his father and Jackson were good friends, working alongside each other during the civil rights movement.
“I liked seeing him with my dad,” Steele said. “It was pride in having that closeness to be able to get to him like that, and for my dad to be a friend of his, it was just exciting. It was exciting being around him.”
Steele recalled Jackson attending one of his father’s birthday celebrations in the 1970s as a guest speaker. He described Jackson as a great leader with a strong sense of humor, and said he feels fortunate to have memories of him from his childhood.
“I think Jesse has left an enormous impact on the people who were really able to hear him – to see the work he was doing,” Steele said. “I think they need to remember the message of justice and equality, the message of love and nonviolence, the message of unity and continue to work. If you put all those things together, you will get a powerful result.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed when Steele was a child. He said that’s when he realized the severity of the civil rights fight, with his father and Jackson heavily involved.
“All these people who were very involved were involved in something very serious, that it was a matter of life and death,” he said. “That was very sobering.”
Stories of Jackson’s impact stretch beyond the Steele family.
Sandra Collins said she met Jackson when he came to Tallahassee in response to the FAMU bombing, as she was also fighting for justice.
“He [Jackson] said ‘You’re going to have people come up against you, but you’ve got to stand on your cause,’” Collins said. “At that moment, sitting next to Jesse Jackson, one of our civil rights icons, to give me those empowerment words, it was very important to me.”
Collins said after meeting Jackson, it opened doors for her to meet other civil rights activists, like Coretta Scott King.
“So when I heard this morning that he had passed away, it really touched me,” she said. “But, I remember to keep the dream and keep hope alive. I think that’s how we can remember him is to keep hope alive.”
To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor and X (Twitter).
Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here. Please include the article’s headline in your message.
Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started.
Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.