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Jesse Jackson
The preacher-politician who kept hope, and the movement, on the national stage.
The rise
A young lieutenant of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson built the organizations Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition to press for economic justice and political inclusion.
What they did
His 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns registered millions of new voters and won major primaries, expanding Black political power and reshaping the Democratic Party, while he brokered high-profile international hostage releases.
The full picture
His campaigns were dogged by controversies and gaffes, and critics questioned his organizations' finances and his central role in Black politics.
Why it matters
Jackson kept civil rights in presidential politics and built a multiracial coalition model that influenced later Black candidacies.
“Keep hope alive.”