November 3

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Announces His First Campaign For President

Civil Rights Leader Rev. Jesse L. Jackson announced on November 3, 1983 that he would be a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1984. Jackson became the second African American after Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm to run a major national campaign for President of the United States.  Rev. Jesse L. Jackson finished third in the race for the democratic nomination, receiving  3,282,431 or 18.2 percent of the total votes in the Democratic Primary.  Former Vice President Walter Mondale received the nomination with a total of 6,952,912 votes or 38.2 percent. Senator Gary Hart finished second with 6,504,842 votes or 35.85 percent.  It has been reported that the Jackson campaign helped register one million new voters. Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. was a civil rights activist, politician and Baptist minister. Jackson transferred from the University of Illinois after his first year to North Carolina A & T State University where he became the Student Government President and quarterback of the football team. While at North Carolina A & T he became active in civil rights activities. Jackson attended Chicago Theological Seminary and was awarded a Master of Divinity. He became a part of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s inner circle and worked with him and the SCLC. Jackson was with King when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. He later founded People United To Save Humanity (Operation Push) in 1971. The organizations name was later changed to People United To Serve Humanity. Jackson ran again for President in 1988.  He served as Shadow Senator from the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. Jackson was born October 8, 1941 In Greenville, South Carolina and died after a lengthy illness on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 84 years of age.