Page 11 - RJLMS - Legacy Program Purple

Black Liberation Presidential Campaigns

Politics that Paved a New American Way

ith an ever-widening list of demands for his ith a growing national and international profile and platform, Rev. Jackson—tireless and resolute—set out to
Wsupport, Jackson left the SCLC organization Wbring about even more ambitious change, running twice for president of the United States. Both campaigns
to start PUSH (People United to Save-later Serve- broke new ground in U.S. politics. He became the first Black person to win a major party’s state primary or caucus,
Humanity), born on Christmas Day in 1971 at the Met a feat unmatched until Barack Obama did so in 2008.
Theatre, with 5,000 people in attendance. In between
Breadbasket’s cessation and PUSH’s creation, Jackson Before Jackson considered a run for the White House,
launched the Black Expo to highlight what he called in 1982, he helped thousands of Black and Brown
Black Excellence. The highly attended event was held at Chicagoans campaigning for Congressman Harold
the old Amphitheater on 42nd and Halsted. Washington. In 1983, “We Shall See in 83’” was the
theme for Washington’s victory that April. This led to
Billed at the time as the largest Black showcase of its opening up the door for young activists and organizers
kind in America with one million people attending to win elected seats across the country, according to Dr.
the five-day event at the Amphitheater, the Black Expo Rev. Otis Moss, Jr.
featured top artists from Motown, Stax Records, and
Buddha labels nightly (as seen in the movie, “Save With his bold platform and almost lyrical speaking
The Children”). voice, Jackson electrified the country during his
campaigns, registering millions of voters and energizing
Rev. Jackson’s success in mobilizing and spurring people millions more. In those moments, he was fulfilling the promise of the Voting Rights Act, the crowning achievement
to action emboldened him, and in much the same of Dr. King’s civil rights movement.
way his mother’s community work had done for her.
In 1984, he founded the National Rainbow Coalition, Rev. Jackson’s 1984 campaign registered over 2 million voters across the South. During the mid-term elections two
a social justice organization based in Washington, years later, Democrats took back the US Senate, winning 5 seats across the South, all of them on the strength of the
D.C, devoted to political empowerment, education, African American vote.
and changing public policy. In September of 1996, the
Rainbow Coalition and Operation PUSH merged to He ventured out on the official Southern crusade, visiting 11 Southern states to register citizens in Black and rural
form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, continuing the non-Black areas—targeting the working class.
work of both organizations and maximizing resources.
In 1988, Jackson garnered over 7 million votes – more than Walter Mondale had won to capture the 1984
The National Black Convention was held in Gary, nomination. And he registered more new voters than the combined total of all other presidential candidates since
Indiana. Mayor Hatcher worked closely with Reverend the Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965. He helped more African Americans, Hispanics, and women get elected
Jackson to bring prominent Black leaders from around than any presidential candidate during that time.
the world.
“I did not start with the money, the ads, the
A visionary who could be extraordinarily prophetic, polling, or the endorsements,” Jackson said,
Rev. Jackson advocated for national health care, a “I started with a mission and a message.”
war on drugs, direct peace negotiations between
Palestinians and Israelis, ending apartheid in South The mission was to build a “progressive
Africa, and advancing democracy in Haiti, all before rainbow coalition – across ancient
they became accepted public policy positions. His work boundaries of race, religion, region and sex,”
helped bring the American public to a new level of civil he said, and to move Americans from “racial
and social consciousness. And he was only battlegrounds to economic common ground
getting started. and on to moral higher ground.”

Rev. Jackson’s “Keep Hope Alive” rallying
cry during his second campaign became
a powerful call to action, offering hope