Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson has revealed he is battling Parkinson's disease.

  • Rev. Jesse Jackson reveals Parkinson's diagnosis
  • Posted open letter on Rainbow PUSH website
  • Jackson is an influential civil rights leader

He posted an open letter on the official website of his organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

"After a battery of tests, my physicians identified the issue as Parkinson’s disease, a disease that bested my father," Jackson wrote. "Recognition of the effects of this disease on me has been painful, and I have been slow to grasp the gravity of it. For me, a Parkinson's diagnosis is not a stop sign but rather a signal that I must make lifestyle changes and dedicate myself to physical therapy in hopes of slowing the disease’s progression."

He continued, "I am far from alone. God continues to give me new opportunities to serve. This diagnosis is personal but it is more than that. It is an opportunity for me to use my voice to help in finding a cure for a disease that afflicts 7 to 10 million worldwide.

Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson was an influential civil rights leader over the years, organizing movements and protests such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He was a leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference before founding Rainbow PUSH.

He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and was a shadow U.S. senator for the District of Columbia from 1992 to 2000.