Live from ABC News headquarters in New York City, this is Good Morning America.

Good morning, America. Thank you for joining us on this very busy Tuesday morning.

And we want to get right, Michael, to the top story, the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson early this morning.

For more than five decades, he stood as a towering figure of the civil rights movement, rising

to prominence in the 1960s alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Then breaking barriers in politics, running for president twice, creating the Rainbow Coalition

pushing for voting rights at home, humanitarian aid abroad.

Chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas is standing by with Jackson's life and legacy.

Alex Perez starts us off at the Rainbow Push Coalition headquarters in Chicago.

Good morning, Alex.

Hey, good morning, Georgia. Many are mourning the loss of a civil rights icon this morning.

Now, the Reverend's Operation Rainbow Push has been located right here in Chicago for decades. Now Jackson's family in a statement

overnight saying that Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. died peacefully early this morning. He was 84 years old.

In a statement Jackson's family says, our father was a servant leader not only to our family,

but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked

around the world. His unwavering belief in justice, equality and love uplifted millions.

And this morning Reverend Al Sharpton also paying tribute to the men he called his mentor,

posting, he told us we were somebody and made us believe I will always cherish him

for taking me under his wing I will forever do my part to keep hope alive now

Jackson's family asking the public to honor his memory by continuing to fight

for the values he lived by Michael yeah thank you so much for that Alex for that, Alex. He definitely inspired a lot of people, myself included.

Now let's go to our Chief Justice Correspondent, Pierre Thomas, with a closer look at Jackson's

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