Rev. Jesse Jackson's Historic Presidential Runs Paved Way for Black Politicians

Many say Jackson's coalition-building and voter registration efforts opened doors for generations of Black candidates.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 3:23am

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The late Rev. Jesse Jackson's historic presidential campaigns in the 1980s are credited with paving the way for a new generation of Black politicians, including Carol Mosely Braun, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate. Jackson's ability to build a wide coalition and register voters inspired people to participate in the political process, leading to the election of Black candidates in unexpected places. His impact also changed the Democratic Party's delegate selection rules, which later benefited Barack Obama's nomination.

Why it matters

Rev. Jesse Jackson's presidential runs in the 1980s are seen as a pivotal moment that opened doors for Black politicians across the country. His efforts to register and mobilize voters, as well as his influence on the Democratic Party's rules, created a pathway for greater Black political representation.

The details

Rev. Jesse Jackson ran for president in 1984 and 1988, building a diverse coalition and inspiring people to participate in the political process. His 1988 campaign, in particular, is credited with enabling the election of Black politicians in places like Delaware and Utah that had not previously seen Black elected officials. Jackson also successfully pushed the Democratic Party to change its delegate selection rules from a winner-take-all system to one that awarded delegates proportionally based on votes, a change that later benefited Barack Obama's nomination.

  • Rev. Jesse Jackson ran for president in 1984 and 1988.
  • Carol Mosely Braun was elected the first Black woman to the U.S. Senate in 1992.
  • Barack Obama was nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate in 2008.

The players

Rev. Jesse Jackson

A civil rights leader and two-time Democratic presidential candidate whose campaigns in the 1980s are credited with opening doors for generations of Black politicians.

Carol Mosely Braun

The first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992, who credits Jackson's presidential runs with giving her the ability to make history.

Barack Obama

The first Black president of the United States, whose nomination in 2008 was facilitated by the delegate selection rule changes that Jackson had pushed for in the Democratic Party.

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What they’re saying

“He broke barriers and gave people the notion that they could do, they could be what they wanted to be. And that was inspirational to me.”

— Carol Mosely Braun, First Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate

“Jesse Jackson inspired people to participate in a process that many people have, frankly, given up on, and he gave them hope that that they could participate and change the government. And they did.”

— Carol Mosely Braun, First Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate

“Jackson pushed for the big tent because that was not the Democratic Party deciding that; that was Jackson deciding that.”

— Delmarie Cobb, Jackson's 1988 campaign press secretary

What’s next

The best way to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson's legacy is to register more voters before the upcoming midterm elections and ensure they get to the polls.

The takeaway

Rev. Jesse Jackson's historic presidential campaigns in the 1980s opened the door for generations of Black politicians, inspiring people to participate in the political process and leading to changes in the Democratic Party's delegate selection rules that later benefited Barack Obama's nomination.