For more than five decades, Rev. Jesse Jackson was a defining voice in America’s civil rights movement.
But his life was also marked by a scandalous extramarital affair, which resulted in a daughter.
That daughter is now all grown up, and many may recognize her…
Jesse Jackson, the longtime activist, Baptist minister, and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2026.
He was 84 and died surrounded by his children and wife of 63 years.
The cause of death has not been announced.
Extramarital affair
Alongside his celebrated public life, Jackson’s family has also acknowledged a deeply personal chapter that became national news more than two decades ago.
In 2001, Jackson admitted to an extramarital affair that resulted in the birth of a illegitimate daughter, named Ashley. The civil rights leader spoke out early, aiming to get ahead of the anticipated tabloid frenzy.
At the time, he told ABC News: “This is no time for evasions, denials or alibis. I fully accept responsibility, and I am truly sorry for my actions.”
When Jackson acknowledged the affair, his daughter was already 20 months old. The child’s mother, 39-year-old Karin Stanford, worked at Jackson’s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition office in Washington. In his statement, Jackson said he had been trying to explain the situation to his wife of 38 years and their five children.
The situation was particularly poignant because Jackson himself had been born out of wedlock. He understood the weight of the stigma it could carry and was determined to take full responsibility as a father.
”I was born of these circumstances, and I know the importance of growing up in a nurturing, supportive, and protected environment. So I’m determined to give my daughter and her mother the privacy they both deserve.’”
“This child deserves the monthly support she receives, a life insurance policy, provisions for a college education, and, most importantly, dignity and privacy,” he said at the time.
Faced intense criticism
Another detail the press quickly picked up on was the timing of Jackson’s affair. His daughter’s age suggested that Jackson, then 59, was involved with his 39-year-old staffer, while he was still advising President Clinton during the fallout from the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
“He was really one of President Clinton’s closest spiritual advisers and really friends through this whole ordeal,” said ABC News political analyst George Stephanopoulos at the time.
“He went to the White House and prayed with President Clinton. They got down on their knees, we heard, in the residence. He counseled Chelsea and Mrs. Clinton — really became a close friend to the family and they really bonded through this whole ordeal.”
It’s clear that this period was one of the toughest for Jesse Jackson and his family. He faced intense criticism for his actions, with many questioning how a reverend could find himself in such a scandal. Jackson temporarily stepped back from public life after the controversy to focus on spending time with his family.
Karin Stanford, the mother of Ashley, never spoke publicly about the situation, but reports indicate she received $3,000 a month in child support. She also reportedly got $30,000 to assist with her move from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press.
Ashley Laverne Jackson today
So what became of Jesse Jackson’s daughter? As it turns out, she’s absolutely thriving.
Today, Ashley Laverne Jackson is making waves as an actress, writer, producer, and advocate for social change.
She earned her Master of Fine Arts in 2025 from USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, becoming the first Spelman College graduate to complete the program.
As an actress, Ashley is best known for her role as Niyah in the Netflix Original, Beats (2019). She has also worked in television development, including as part of Disney’s inaugural Apprenticeship Program, and supports projects like Grown-ish.
In October 2025, Ashley revealed she was developing a docuseries that would explore her father’s legacy through her own eyes.
Through her nonprofit and podcast, PUSH The Next Generation, she focuses on youth civic engagement and cross-generational dialogue. Beyond the screen, she champions food justice, bringing plant-based education to the neighborhoods that need it most. Ashley carries forward her family’s legacy of activism, but on her own terms.
Farewell letter to her dad
After her father’s passing, Ashley shared a heartfelt letter on Instagram and Threads, expressing how “immensely grateful” she was for him and the impact he had as a father.
“I am immensely grateful to have been held by your love—a love so vast it moved nations and changed lives,” she wrote. “That love is what will sustain our connection in all realms. It does not end; it simply shifts form. Your presence and your love will remain with me always. I promise to honor your legacy, now and forever.”
She went on, “What a gift it has been to share this lifetime with you: to come from your lineage, to learn from a legend, to simply call you Dad. Now, as I step into my own adulthood—flying on winds shaped by your enormous wings—I find myself unspooling the threads of your legacy while weaving my own. I remain in awe of the giant that you are: in global and domestic politics, in faith communities, in the fight for civil rights, and also in the everyday ways you moved through the world, all six-foot-four of you, with conviction and heart.”
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