The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) mourns the loss of Bishop Reginald Jackson, who passed away on Nov. 25, 2025, at the age of 71. Bishop Jackson was the 132nd bishop elected to the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, and, in 2024, he became the Presiding Prelate of the Church’s Second Episcopal District, which covers churches in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia. He also previously served as Bishop of the Twentieth Episcopal District, which is composed of churches in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Uganda, and the Sixth Episcopal District, which consists of over 500 churches in Georgia.
Bishop Jackson was a devoted spiritual leader and committed lifetime civil rights and racial justice advocate. As a longtime LDF client during the organization’s early challenges to Georgia’s voter suppression laws, he lent his moral authority and leadership to ensuring that Black Georgians had the freedom and opportunity to vote. Bishop Jackson’s steadfast efforts helped rally faith communities and civil rights supporters around the cause of fair representation.
“We mourn the loss of Bishop Reginald Jackson, an abiding servant-leader in the advancement of civil rights and an extraordinary force of faith and justice in Georgia and far beyond,” said LDF President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson. “Bishop Jackson’s leadership during LDF’s early fight against voter suppression helped protect the fundamental right to vote for countless Black Georgians. His faith, his voice, and his unshakable commitment to racial justice strengthened our democracy. We honor his legacy and remain committed to carrying forward the work he championed.”
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
