The Jesse Jackson Phenomenon: The Crisis of Purpose in Afro-American Politics

How did Jesse Jackson – who had never run in an election and had only recently registered to vote – become the black candidate for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination? What does his campaign show about the dynamics that drive Afro-American political activity? In the first book to analyze the Jackson campaign, a black scholar who has worked extensively with local black political organizations argues that the Jackson Candidacy revealed tensions within Afro-American politics and hurt r...