Jackson Cardiss Collins

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In 1988, Baptist minister and Democratic politician Jesse Jackson campaigned for the presidency for his second time. The noted activist’s first campaign in 1984 had put him in third place in the race for the Democratic Party’s nomination, which was much farther than many had believed he could go. Jackson’s 1988 platform was much the same as it had been in 1984, calling for a “Rainbow Coalition” of minorities, the LGBT 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. The campaign went well but was hindered by allegations of his brother’s criminal past. Jackson won second place in the race for the Democratic nomination, with first place going 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.

Sharing a similar message as Jackson, Illinois representative Cardiss Collins aligned herself with the presidential hopeful. Collins is a Democratic politician who served as a long-time representative for the state of Illinois. She was in office from 1973 to 1997 and became the first African-American congresswoman to represent the Midwest. She first entered the world of politics after she replaced her husband George, who died in a plane crash, as the representative of the state’s seventh congressional district. Throughout her time in Congress, she was a crusader for women’s rights and championed welfare issues.