(AURN News) — On this day in 1983, civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson announced his historic run for president of the United States.
Jackson, who rose to prominence during the 1960s civil rights movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., became only the second Black American in U.S. history to seek a major party’s nomination. Though critics dismissed him as a fringe candidate, Jackson defied expectations and finished third in the Democratic primaries behind Gary Hart and Walter Mondale.
He captured more than 3.2 million votes and won several contests, including Louisiana, South Carolina and the District of Columbia. His groundbreaking campaign paved the way for future Black candidates in national politics.
Jackson ran again in 1988, expanding his coalition and earning 6.9 million votes — cementing his legacy as a transformative figure in American democracy.
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