How Jesse Jackson paved way for Barack Obama - and helped change US

February 17, 2026

Jesse Jackson emerged from the civil rights movement of the 1960s to become the first African-American to mount a serious presidential campaign, running in 1984 and 1988 on a progressive platform that emphasized economic justice and multiracial coalition-building. A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. , Jackson built influential organizations like Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition that focused on improving employment opportunities and education for Black Americans while addressing broader class inequality.

Who is affected

Jesse Jackson himself (disease diagnosis, personal scandals, political legacy)
African-Americans and other disadvantaged communities Jackson advocated for throughout his career
The Democratic Party and its primary process, which was reformed due to Jackson's campaigns
Jesse Jackson Jr. (convicted of using campaign funds improperly, imprisoned, and denied presidential pardon)
Barack Obama and Kamala Harris (benefited from the path Jackson created for Black presidential candidates)
Poor and working-class Americans across racial lines who Jackson sought to unite
Members of Jackson's family (affected by his infidelity and need for spiritual revival)
Progressive political movements within the Democratic Party

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The article is written in past tense as a biographical retrospective of Jackson's life and career, covering events that have already occurred.

Why it matters

Jackson's significance lies in breaking the political barrier for African-American presidential candidates, demonstrating that Black politicians could compete seriously for national office and mobilizing Black voter turnout that would later benefit candidates like Barack Obama. His campaigns fundamentally reshaped Democratic Party politics by bringing progressive issues like universal healthcare, reparations, and economic justice to the forefront of national political discourse. Jackson's emphasis on multiracial, class-based coalition-building rather than exclusively race-based organizing expanded the scope of civil rights activism and created a template for progressive politics that continues to influence the Democratic Party today. His work bridging activism and electoral politics established a model for how social movements could translate their goals into mainstream political campaigns, making him a crucial transitional figure between the civil rights era and contemporary progressive politics.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC