KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has expressed sadness at the passing of American civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, who died Tuesday morning.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Holness described Jackson as one of the most positively consequential civil rights figures of the 20th and 21st centuries.

“His activism, which centred on championing economic, racial and social justice and empowering Black, minority, and working-class people, including voters, had global impact and will resonate for centuries to come,” the prime minister said.

“Humanity owes Reverend Jackson a debt of gratitude. He was an inspirational orator who commanded the ears and consciousness of the captains of the corridors of power, both in the United States and around the world,” he added.

Andrew Holness Photo: JIS

Holness said Jackson is among a unique cadre of civil rights leaders, including the late Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, who were admirable for their ability to put aside self-interest and, at significant personal risk, elect to prioritise what was right and good for humanity, not only in the United States of America, but across the globe.

“The passing of Reverend Jackson is a significant moment in history. His indelible efforts assisted greatly in ensuring that kindness, justice, equality and humanity prevailed in instances where they were forgotten virtues,” Holness said.

The prime minister expressed condolences to Jackson’s family, friends and well-wishers who are now grieving his loss.

READ: US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson dies at 84