In Africa, Jesse Jackson Was Esteemed for His Fight Against Apartheid

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by John EligonFebruary 17, 2026 at 07:55 PM

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Jesse Jackson, who died on Tuesday, was highly regarded in Africa for his activism against South Africa's apartheid regime. He first visited South Africa in 1979 and made numerous subsequent trips to the continent as a peace broker and representative of Black America, demonstrating that U.S. government acceptance of apartheid did not reflect the views of many American citizens. Jackson lobbied global leaders, including Pope John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev, to condemn apartheid and urged institutions like Harvard to divest from South Africa. He drew parallels between the civil rights struggle in the U.S. and the anti-apartheid movement, advocating for freedom and equality. In 1986, Jackson toured eight African countries, meeting with heads of state and raising awareness of apartheid's regional impact.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kenneth Kaunda 30% Ronald Reagan 30% Soweto 40% Steve Biko 40% Cyril Ramaphosa 50% United States ×260% Africa ×470% Nelson Mandela ×270% Apartheid ×680% South Africa ×780% Jesse Jackson ×1090%

Keywords

jesse jackson 100% apartheid 90% south africa 80% civil rights movement 70% nelson mandela 60% africa 50% anti-apartheid struggle 50% activism 50%

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Very Positive

Score: 0.70

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New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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jesse jackson apartheid south africa civil rights movement nelson mandela africa anti-apartheid struggle activism

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