Harold Washington Dream Ticket

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In 1984 and 1988, Baptist minister and Democratic politician Jesse Jackson campaigned for the U.S. presidency. Jackson was a close ally of former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, and the two regularly supported each other in their political campaigns. The noted activist’s first campaign in 1984 landed him in third place in the race for the Democratic Party’s nomination—a much more successful showing than many had believed possible. 

Jackson’s 1988 platform was much the same as it had been in 1984, calling for a “Rainbow Coalition” of minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, and the poor. He also campaigned for an end to the War on Drugs, the creation of more jobs, and raising taxes on the wealthy. A close ally with Though Jackson was popular overall, he was hindered by allegations of his brother’s criminal past. Jackson eventually lost the Democratic nomination to Michael Dukakis (who eventually lost the presidential election to George H. W. Bush).

Jackson continued to serve in politics and social activism throughout the 2000s and 2010s. In 2023, he announced that he was stepping down from the Rainbow/PUSH organization—a non-profit founded by Jackson dedicated to promoting social justice and civil rights causes.