Personal

Born: Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, S.C. Jackson's ancestry includes black slaves, Cherokee Indians and a bit of Irish. Born out of wedlock, Jackson was the result of a desire by his biological father, Noah Louis Robinson, to have a male child. Jackson took the last name of his stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson.

Family: Married Jacqueline Lavinia Brown in 1964. They have five children: Santita, Jesse Louis Jr., Jonathan Luther, Yusef DuBois and Jacqueline Lavinia.

Education: Earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology and economics from North Carolina A&T State University in 1964. Holds more than 40 honorary degrees.

Gridiron dreams: During his youth, Jackson was a South Carolina all-state high school football star. Went to the University of Illinois on a football scholarship but later left for North Carolina A&T State University.

Vocational calling: Studied at the Chicago Theological Seminary but left before completing his degree. Ordained a Baptist minister in 1968.

Health concerns: Suffers from sickle cell anemia, like many African Americans.

Next generation: Jesse Jackson Jr., the oldest son of Jesse Jackson, stepped out of his father's shadow and into the political limelight when he won a special election for the Illinois 2nd Congressional District seat in 1995.