Oct. 8, 1941
Overview:
Like many individuals from minority groups in countries from Australia to the USA, Jesse Jackson had more than his share of difficulties during his youth. He demonstrated considerable personal strength in overcoming obstacles and achieving his place on the International stage as an orator, negotiator and civil rights campaigner.
Country:
United States of America
Type
of hero: Civil and Political Rights
Attributes:
Civil rights campaigner
Biography:
Jesse Jackson was born into a poor family. Despite the difficulties he faced in his early childhood, he developed into a talented student and athlete.
He worked his way through school and attended the University of Illinois in 1959 with a scholarship. He then moved to Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina where he received a B.A. in sociology in 1964. While there, he acted as student body president as well as playing quarterback on the football team.
He ventured into political life early through the civil rights movement. He participated in a number of demonstrations at segregated places and was once an assistant to Martin Luther King. He also helped create the Chicago Freedom Movement in 1966 which aimed at integration of schools and open housing.
In 1966 he launched the Chicago branch of Operation Breadbasket. This was aimed at to using pressure from the black Churches and community to force companies to end discriminatory practices and hire more black workers. The movement was successful and resulted in an increase in the number of African Americans being hired by some firms.
In 1971 he left in order to begin a new project called Operation PUSH. PUSH, which stands for People United to Serve Humanity, grew out of Operation Breadbasket and continued many of its themes, especially that of economic empowerment.
By the early 1980’s, he had established himself as an excellent speaker and one of the nation’s best known civil rights activists. In 1984 he stood as a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination under the umbrella of the Rainbow Coalition which he had helped to establish. While he was unsuccessful, he did gather a huge amount of support. He urged millions to enrol to vote and helped put a number of social issues on the national agenda.
His skill in advocacy has extended to the international sphere with his efforts in May 1999 to convince Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to release three POW's who were held there. After his meeting with Milosevic, Jackson urge NATO officials and Milosevic to "choose the bargaining table over the battlefield."
Citations
& References:
References
No Author listed "Jackson, Jesse Louis" Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2000. Ver: 9.0 Redmond: Microsoft Corporation , 1999
Links:
"Jackson, Jesse" Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
http://members.eb.com/bol/topic?eu=44133&sctn=1 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/race/interviews/jackson.html
http://www.africana.com/tt_223.htm
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