(AURN News) — On Nov. 3, 1983, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. announced his historic campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination at the Washington Convention Center.
A veteran civil rights leader and founder of Operation PUSH, Jackson challenged a political establishment that often overlooked Black voters, poor communities and working families. His campaign sought to build a broad “Rainbow Coalition” across racial, economic and political lines while registering new voters and expanding Black political power.
Jackson followed the trail blazed by Shirley Chisholm, who ran for president in 1972.
Although he did not win the 1984 nomination, Jackson received more than 3 million votes in the Democratic primaries and caucuses and became the first Black candidate to win a statewide Democratic presidential primary. He ran again in 1988, winning nearly 7 million votes.
His campaigns reshaped national politics and showed a generation that the presidency was not beyond their reach.
