Who is Ashley Jackson’s mother? All about Jesse Jackson’s illegitimate daughter and his five children amid health struggles

The news of civil rights activist Jesse Jackson’s recent hospitalization has put focus on the 84-year-old leader’s health and well-being. In the wake of Jackson’s hospitalization, the spotlight is now on his family life.

Jackson is a father to six children. One of his children, Ashley Jackson, was born as a result of an extramarital affair between Jackson and Karin Stanford, who worked for him. Although Ashley was born in 1999, Jackson’s affair with Stanford was revealed in 2001 when he admitted to the affair and fathering a child out of wedlock.

Jackson and Stanford had a four-year long affair, as per ABC News. Stanford, who first encountered Jackson after having written a dissertation on him, told the news outlet in 2001 about her thoughts on the activist during their first meeting, and noted,

“I was very inspired, and I walked away from that meeting believing that this guy is a true believer. I was won over."

Karin Stanford said that she never regretted having her and Jesse Jackson’s daughter out of wedlock

In one of her first interviews after the story of her and Jesse Jackson’s affair was revealed in 2001, Karin Stanford said that she is proud to be the mother of her and Jackson’s daughter, Ashley Jackson.

While speaking to ABC News, she expressed her happiness and pride at being the mother of Ashley, and remarked,

“I'm convinced she is supposed to be here, and I am supposed to be her mom. And I'm very proud of that.”

According to an article by Michael Coulter, Jackson paid Stanford a considerable amount of money from the nonprofit, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, as per financial records. In 2001, Stanford claimed in her interview that Jackson attempted to let her sign a confidentiality agreement after she asked to formalize the child support payments. She claimed to ABC News,

“I was shocked. I had basically kept the details of our relationship confidential…So then to be hit with the confidentiality agreement was highly insulting to me.”

Jackson did not respond to the interview given by Stanford, and merely insisted that he wanted Ashley to have access to a good college education and privacy.

About Jesse Jackson’s five other children

In addition to Ashley Jackson who is his youngest daughter, Jesse Jackson is a father to Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, and Jacqueline Lavinia. He shares his five oldest children with his wife, Jacqueline Jackson.

Santita Jackson is a singer who is known for performing the National Anthem at the second inauguration of President Bill Clinton, according to her biography on the Looking Glass theatre website. Santita is also a commentator who has appeared on the Fox News Channel. Notably, Santita went to school with former First Lady, Michelle Obama, and was her maid of honor during her wedding to President Barack Obama.

Jesse Jackson Jr. is a former Democrat Representative from Illinois, who recently announced his decision to run for the Congressional district again. As per CBS News, Jesse Jr. made a reference to his father while launching campaign, and said,

“I'm responding to a draft movement to enter this race. Like my father before me, I ask for your vote as a vote for a new direction for this district.”

Jonathan Jackson is also involved in politics like his brother and father, who is currently the U.S. Representative from Illinois’ 1st congressional district. Recently, Jonathan wrote a statement after he voted ‘no’ for the Republican spending bill, in which he said,

“The Republican spending bill brought to the floor today is yet another failure of Republican leadership—a failure to meet the basic needs of the American people…The American people deserve leadership that puts them first—not partisan politics and misplaced priorities.”

Meanwhile, Yusef Jackson is an investor and entrepreneur who is associated with companies such as River North Sales & Service and Florida’s Progressive Distribution, among others. He is also serves on the Board of the Children’s Choir of Chicago, as its Director.

One of Yosef’s recent investments in the Vendor Assistance Program LLC raised concern in April. Chicago Sun Times reported that a state program allows the company to buy government debt to vendors after which it collects penalties on late-payments from the state. Jackson became involved with the firm as it denied that it has avoided paying income taxes in Illinois, reported the news outlet.

Jackson and his wife share another daughter who is named after her mother, Jaqueline Lavinia Jackson. Not much is known about the couple’s youngest daughter.

Meanwhile, Ashley Jackson, Jackson’s daughter with Karin Stanford took an interest in music in 2014, and released tracks under the name, ‘AJae.’