Jacqueline Lavinia Brown: Minister Jesse Jackson’s Wife

71-year-old Author Jacqueline Jackson is the long time wife of Reverend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson. Jackie’s hubby is not stranger to the spotlight, this time he is offering his support to the Jackie Robinson West of Chicago Little League.

Jacqueline “Jackie” Lavinia Brown, was born March 17, 1944.

The couple met during her freshman year of college, while both attended A&T college.  She has long been on the scene for social justice and equality participating with her husband and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in marches and protests for civil rights.

After a brief courtship Jackie and Jesse were married on December 31, 1962 in Greenville, South Carolina, at his family’s home.

Jackie gave birth to the couple’s five children: Santita Jackson: Born in 1963, U.S rep Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr: Born in 1965, Jonathan Luther Jackson: Born in 1966, Yusef DuBois Jackson, Esq: Born in 1970 and Jacqueline Lavinia Jackson, Jr: Born in 1975. All pictured below as young children.

Jackie’s marriage hasn’t been exactly a ride in the park, her husband has one more child from a four-year affair.

Being the wife of a Civil Rights leader, Baptist minister, founder of National Rainbow Coalition, politician, actor, author, orator, columnist; isn’t exactly easy either.

In 2000, Jackie was arrested and subsequently spent 10 days in a Puerto Rican jail while protesting. More recently she served as the president in the Jackson Foundation. She and her husband have been members of Fellowship M.B. Church on the South Side since 1967.