Jesse Jackson A Biography Author:Patricia C. McKissack Jesse Jackson is the first black man to run for president of the United States. He is a powerful speaker, a tireless organizer, and a symbol of hope for many people. — Young Jackson was a football player and baseball star who went on to become a minister. In the beginning of his career, Jackson was an outspoken fighter who won the attention of Dr... more ». Martin Luther King, Jr., and soon became Dr. King's aide. Jackson's style made him enemies as well as admirers. Even some black leaders said that Jackson was an upstart.
But the young idealist refused to be stopped. Even threats against his life did not silence him, and in 1988 he was a strong candidate for the Democratic nomination for the president of the United States. The New York Times wrote, "Whether or not he is elected president, whether or not he is even nominated for vice president...the world is likely to remember 1988 as the year of Jackson."
This is the true, exciting story of a brave leader with a bold new vision for his country, a man who has helped change the course of American history.« less