Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition Advocated for Social Justice

The civil rights organization founded by Jackson became a platform for his political ambitions and policy goals.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The Rainbow PUSH Coalition, founded by the late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, was the organization through which he advanced his vision for social justice and pushed for policy changes. The group grew out of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and initially focused on improving economic opportunities for Black communities, but later expanded to include a broader social justice agenda as Jackson's political ambitions grew, including his presidential runs. The organization continued to be a vehicle for Jackson's work both domestically and internationally until his retirement in 2023.

Why it matters

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition was a powerful advocacy organization that allowed Jesse Jackson to translate his civil rights leadership into tangible policy changes and political influence. As an outgrowth of the SCLC, it represented the continuation of the civil rights movement's focus on economic empowerment and social justice for Black Americans.

The details

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition was founded by Jesse Jackson in 1971 after he broke away from the SCLC following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Initially called Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), the group focused on improving economic opportunities for Black communities through direct action campaigns to support Black businesses and push companies to hire more minority executives and work with Black suppliers. Over time, the organization expanded its scope to include a broader social justice agenda, including creating inner-city education programs and helping young people find jobs. In 1984, as Jackson began his first presidential run, he founded the National Rainbow Coalition in Washington to change public policy. The two organizations merged in 1996 to become the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which continued Jackson's work both domestically and internationally until his retirement in 2023.

  • Jesse Jackson became a full-time organizer for the SCLC in 1965.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968.
  • Jackson founded Operation PUSH in 1971.
  • Jackson began his first presidential campaign in 1984.
  • The Rainbow PUSH Coalition was formed in 1996 through the merger of Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition.
  • Jackson retired from leading the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in 2023.

The players

Jesse Jackson

A civil rights leader who founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which became a platform for his political ambitions and policy goals.

Martin Luther King Jr.

The civil rights leader who founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which was the precursor to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Ralph David Abernathy

The new head of the SCLC after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., with whom Jackson clashed before breaking away to establish Operation PUSH.

Rainbow PUSH Coalition

The advocacy organization founded by Jesse Jackson that became the vehicle for his vision of social justice and political ambitions.

Operation Breadbasket

The economic development program of the SCLC that Jackson ran before breaking away to establish Operation PUSH.

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What they’re saying

“I want to see us grow and prosper. We have the ability to build on what we've established over the years.”

— Jesse Jackson (nytimes.com)

The takeaway

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition was a powerful advocacy organization that allowed Jesse Jackson to translate his civil rights leadership into tangible policy changes and political influence, continuing the work of the civil rights movement to achieve economic empowerment and social justice for Black Americans.