In his powerful address to the 1984 Democratic National Convention, activist, minister, and then-presidential candidate Jesse Jackson implored his audience to set aside differences and remember our shared humanity. Jackson campaigned on the idea of a diverse “Rainbow Coalition” to advocate for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation.
Though he lost the nomination, Jackson achieved historic success during the race, winning more than 3 million votes during the primaries, and becoming the first Black American to win a major party state primary or caucus.
