THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
African-American civil rights leader Jesse Jackson died on 17 February. The Baptist minister and two-time U.S. presidential candidate was a towering moral voice whose powerful oratory helped shape the civil rights movement in the decades following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.. Widely regarded as one of the most respected global moral figures of the past 70 years, Rev. Jackson leaves behind an enduring legacy of justice, equality, and international solidarity. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, former Member of the European Parliament, pays tribute to Rev. Jackson, whom she had the privilege of meeting during his lifetime.
Reverend Jesse Jackson, who passed away on February 17, 2026, was not only a towering figure of the American civil rights movement — he was a global moral voice whose life reshaped the meaning of democratic inclusion.
Born in 1941 in segregated America, Jackson dedicated his life to challenging injustice and expanding the promise of democracy. As a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr., he stood at the heart of the civil rights movement during its defining moments.
But Jackson was not only a witness to history — he was a builder of its next chapter. Through Operation PUSH and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he focused on economic justice, voter empowerment, and equal opportunity.
His presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 were transformative. They expanded the political imagination of the United States and paved the way for future leaders, including Barack Obama.
Jackson also understood that justice could not stop at national borders. His diplomatic work in Africa and his opposition to apartheid reflected a global vision of human dignity.
Today, as democracies around the world face rising inequality and racial division, Jesse Jackson’s legacy reminds us that progress requires courage, persistence, and moral leadership.
His voice may be gone, but his message remains more urgent than ever.
In Memoriam
I will never forget our meeting in Washington, D.C., in 2019. When he learned that I was the first Black Woman elected to the European Parliament representing Germany, he said to me: “My sister, you did it. It’s wonderful.” In that moment, he embodied what he had always stood for: lifting others and believing in their potential
At my request, he sent a personal message to Theodor Michael, an Afro-German survivor of the Nazi period who was at the end of his life. This gesture brought him great joy. I will be forever grateful.
Today, we mourn a great defender of human rights and a tireless fighter against racism. In 2021, I had the honor of nominating him for the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize.
Jessie Jackson passed away in the year we commemorate the centenary of Black History Month. He joins the long line of Black personalities whose legacy will continue to inspire the world.
Dear brother, you were a role model and a source of inspiration.
My sincere condolences to his family.
Rest in peace, dear brother. Your legacy will live on forever.
May the Almighty welcome him into His paradise.
READ ALSO Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana Inducted as Honorary Citizen of Erlangen
