The Rev. Jesse Jackson was taken to the hospital after taking a tumble while supporting student protesters at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Jackson was reportedly meeting with students and Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick regarding the reported unsanitary and substandard conditions that students have been living in, including roaches, mice, mold and other issues.
The 80-year-old civil rights leader reportedly slipped, fell and hit his head, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition revealed in a statement.
“When Rev. Jackson entered a building on campus, he fell and hit his head. His staff took him to the Howard University Hospital where various tests were run including a CT scan. The results came back normal. However, hospital officials decided to keep Rev. Jackson overnight for observation,” the civil rights organization founded by Jackson said in a statement on its website.
Howard University also confirmed that Jackson was admitted for observation.
We can confirm that Rev. Jackson was taken to the hospital by a university administrator and was later joined by Dr. Wayne Frederick. Our prayers are with the Jackson family.
— Howard University (@HowardU) November 2, 2021
This latest hospitalization comes on the heels of Jackson and his wife, Jacqueline, 77, contracting the novel coronavirus and being treated at a Chicago hospital’s ICU unit in early September 2021. Both survived after a stay of several weeks, and then Jackson had to be transported to a rehabilitation facility for further treatment due to his Parkinson’s disease.
Also, back in February 2021, Jackson had to undergo surgery after experiencing chronic abdominal pains.
Jackson had been joined on the marquee HBCU campus in the nation’s Capitol by Martin Luther King III and NAACP President Derrick Johnson to offer support to the students.
Frederick informed the students that he is working tirelessly with the housing partners to address the students’ concerns expeditiously.
