Rev. Jesse Jackson's Vermont Legacy Shaped State's Progressive Movement

The civil rights icon's presidential campaigns in the 1980s helped lay the groundwork for the Vermont Progressive Party.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon who died on Tuesday at age 84, played a key role in shaping Vermont's progressive political landscape through his presidential campaigns in the 1980s. Jackson's visits to the state, including an endorsement from then-Burlington Mayor Bernie Sanders, helped energize the state's progressive movement and laid the foundation for the formation of the Vermont Progressive Party.

Why it matters

Jackson's presidential runs in the 1980s came at a pivotal time for Vermont's political landscape, as the state was transitioning from a reliably Republican stronghold to a more progressive-leaning state. His campaign tapped into the growing progressive base in Vermont, which would later coalesce into the Vermont Progressive Party, one of the few successful third parties in the country.

The details

Despite losing the Democratic nomination, Jackson's campaigns helped elevate progressive causes and build a coalition of supporters that would go on to form the Vermont Progressive Party. His visits to the state, including a stop in Montpelier in 1987 and a rally at the University of Vermont in 1988, energized Vermont's progressive movement. Jackson's Rainbow Coalition also laid the groundwork for the party, with Vermont's chapter refusing to disband after his failed 1988 run and eventually joining forces with other progressive groups to form the Vermont Progressive Party.

  • Jackson spoke in Montpelier in December 1987.
  • Jackson spoke at the University of Vermont on the eve of the Vermont Democratic primary in February 1988.
  • Jackson won the Vermont Democratic caucus in 1988, but later tied Michael Dukakis for the state's Democratic delegates and lost the national primary.

The players

Rev. Jesse Jackson

A civil rights icon who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, helping to shape Vermont's progressive political landscape.

Bernie Sanders

The mayor of Burlington at the time, one of the few white leaders in the country to publicly support Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign.

Ellen David Friedman

A committee member of the Rainbow Coalition of Vermont who invited Jackson to visit the state for his 1988 presidential campaign.

Karen Glitman

Jackson's campaign director in Vermont in 1984.

Sen. Joe Major

A Vermont state senator who met Jackson in the 1990s and praised him as a civil rights icon who helped pave the way for Black politicians.

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What they’re saying

“What his life was dedicated to was making sure that everyone has an equal footing.”

— Sen. Joe Major, Vermont State Senator (vtdigger.org)

“What we're showing the entire country is that the state of Vermont — the whitest state in the nation — is able to look beyond race and vote for the candidate addressing the real issues.”

— Bernie Sanders, Burlington Mayor (vtdigger.org)

“He said, 'Sister Glitman, this is how you give a speech. You start low, go slow, you reach high, you take five and you sit down.'”

— Karen Glitman, Jackson's 1984 Vermont Campaign Director (vtdigger.org)

What’s next

The Vermont Progressive Party, formed in the wake of Jackson's campaigns, continues to be one of the few successful third parties in the country, with elected state representatives.

The takeaway

Rev. Jesse Jackson's presidential campaigns in the 1980s helped galvanize Vermont's progressive movement, laying the groundwork for the formation of the Vermont Progressive Party and the state's shift towards more progressive politics in the decades since.