Jesse Jackson:
Civil Rights Activist, Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., Was Born October 8, 1941, In Greenville, South Carolina.
During The 1960's, Jackson Was Active In Various Civil Rights Campaigns, Including Sit-Ins, The Desegregation Of A Public Library And Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.'s March On Selma, Alabama.
In 1965 He Became A Full-Time Organizer Of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Dr. King Subsequently Appointed Him Director Of The SCLC Initiative, Operation Breadbasket.
In 1971 Jackson Founded Operation P.U.S.H. (People United To Serve Humanity). The Goals Of The Organization Were Economic Empowerment And Expanding Business And Educational Opportunities For Disadvantaged People Of Color.
Jesse Jackson Was The First African American To Be Taken Seriously As A Contender For A Major Political Party Nomination (Eldridge Cleaver Ran For President In 1968 And Shirley Chisholm Vied For The Office In 1972).
Jackson's Campaign Has Been Called "one of the most dramatic developments in modern American political history." The Long-Time Civil Rights Activist Proposed The Creation Of A New Political Alliance, The Rainbow Coalition.
Based On The Concept Of Economic Justice,
The Coalition Was To Be Composed Of Individuals Traditionally Marginalized By The American System, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Arab Americans, Asian Americans, Elderly Women, The Poor, The Disabled And Small-Scale Farmers.
In The 1984 Primary Elections Jackson Got 2.5 Million Black Votes And 800,000 Votes From Non-Blacks, Giving Him 10 Percent Of The Total White Primary Vote.
He Ran Again In 1988 And Received 20 Percent Of The White Primary Vote.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
