How does jesse jackson earn a living

Jackson fared well in high school and went to the University of Illinois on a football scholarship in One year later, he transferred to Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he was active in the civil rights movement. Jackson received a B. After graduation, Jackson immediately enrolled as a graduate student at Chicago Theological Seminary, but left the school in to join Dr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Jackson became an organizer with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference SCLC and was later tapped to head the Chicago branch of Operation Breadbasket, the organization's program to build jobs and economic opportunities in American cities. Thanks to our sponsors:. Jesse Jackson Sr. Related Stories. Watch All Video Kids Video. Programs Programs A-Z Playlist. Events Event Calendar. The Institute cannot give permission to use or reproduce any of the writings, statements, or images of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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While in Greensboro Jackson had joined the Congress of Racial Equality and participated in marches and sit-ins. After graduation, he began divinity studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary and worked to organize student support for Martin Luther King Jr. A year later he left the seminary to work full-time for the SCLC. Jackson claimed he had been the last person to speak with the dying leader, though others present challenged his account.

Jackson returned to leading Operation Breadbasket but continued to chafe with Abernathy until , when he resigned to start his own organization. In Jackson ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, winning five primaries and caucuses and more than 18 percent of votes cast. However, a comment he made to a reporter about Jews and his relationship with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan led to controversy during the campaign. Jackson ran for president again in and won 11 primaries and caucuses and nearly 20 percent of the vote.

Parallel to his domestic advocacy, in the s and s Jackson worked independently to secure the release of prisoners held by several anti-American regimes. He frustrated the Reagan administration by traveling to Syria in to win the release of a U. Jackson also helped free 22 Americans held in Cuba on drug charges, as well as 27 Cuban political prisoners. He also secured the release of three U.