Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to form Rainbow/PUSH.

Articles by this author

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, speaks to thousands during his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Aug. 28, 1963 (Photo: TNS) Views
Monday, January 20, 2020
Dr. King Called On Us to Express the Better Angels of Our Souls
Schools across the country celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day today. At every level, students learn about King, the movement he helped lead and the teachings and legacy he left behind. There are dramatic readings of his words. Many schools show his historic “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln...
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He showed that people of conscience can make a difference, even against the most powerful oppressor. (Photo: Dave Bredeson/Dreamstime.com) Views
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Remembering the Message of Christmas
On Wednesday, Christmas will be celebrated by millions of people across this country and across the world. Joy surrounds the holiday, with music in the air, lights on homes and lampposts, families gathering, presents exchanged and blessings shared. For some, Christmas is a difficult time—for the...
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The result of this reckless and ruthless course is a country ever more divided. (Photo: Getty) Views
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Trump Is Leading a Revolution That Is Destroying America
As the House of Representatives moves toward impeaching President Donald Trump this week—by what all predict will be a vote divided largely by party—it is time for reflection. The House will indict the president for abuse of his office—trying to enlist a foreign government to intervene in our...
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The Trump administration may restrict the size of loans college students can take out, which Rev. Jesse Jackson says is a backward way to reduce student loan debt. (Photo: File Photo) Views
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
President Trump’s War on the Poor
Donald Trump is famed for his head-snapping reversals. One day he’s taking troops out of the Middle East; the next he’s sending more in. One day he’s on the verge of an agreement with China on trade; the next he’s tweeting about holding off until after the election. On one thing, however, Trump and...
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How can our society thrive if we condemn the best of the next generation to a life burdened by debt? (Photo: Alex Edelman/AFP/Getty Images) Views
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
If Democrats Don’t Go Bold With Social Reform Right Now, Then When?
“Too radical, impractical, too costly, impossible, can’t pass the Senate.” Those are the terms centrist Democrats use to describe the bold reform ideas put forth by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in the Democratic presidential primaries. “Venezuela, socialist, communist tripe, crazy” are the...
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The only way to counter these measures is massive citizen mobilization—and to elect leaders who will make the right to vote a priority. (Photo: Flickr/cc) Views
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
The Right to Vote Should Not Fall Victim to Partisan Battles
The right to vote is fundamental to any democracy. Protecting that right—and making it easier to exercise it—ought to be a priority across partisan lines. Instead, in states across the country—particularly in the five years since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act—it has become a...
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Sunday, November 17, 2019
Risking Lives in Endless US Wars Is Morally Wrong and a Strategic Failure
We just celebrated Veterans Day last week, paying tribute to the young men and women who have served our country. Across the country, families gathered at the gravesites of those who gave their lives. Veterans drank toasts to their fellow soldiers. In football and basketball stadiums, crowds...
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Democratic Presidential Candidate Elizabeth Warren, shown campaigning in Iowa, has released a plan for Medicare for All. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Views
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
The Medicare for All Debate Is Long Overdue
Affordable health care for all is now at the center of the presidential debate. Two of the top three contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination—Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders—support Medicare for All. The third—Joe Biden—and those hoping to take his place as the leading centrist in...
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The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, informally known as the National Lynching Memorial, is a national memorial to commemorate the victims of lynching in the U. S. (Photo: Ron Cogswell/flickr/cc) Views
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Trump Is Not Alone Among Americans In Failing to Understand What A Real Lynching Is
Donald Trump’s use of the term “lynching” to describe the ongoing impeachment inquiry in the House naturally sparked bipartisan outrage. The president and his shameless apologist, South Carolina’s Sen. Lindsey Graham, defended the use of the word, with Graham calling the investigation a “lynching...
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A crowd gathers in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after several decisions were handed down on June 27, 2019, including a decision that blocked a citizenship question from being added to the 2020 census. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Views
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
How Politics Threatens the 2020 Census
A new report should raise alarms about the upcoming 2020 Census. According to the Pew Research Center , the good news is that the overwhelming majority of Americans are aware of the census, and over eight in 10 say they are likely to participate. The bad news is that nearly one in four blacks,...
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