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Politician, minister and Martin Luther King Jr.’s protégé, Jesse Jackson, died at age 84.His death comes during Black History Month, which celebrates Black people’s achievements, alive or dead.READ MORE: Durham Museum to debut new Green Book exhibit for Black History MonthBlack Student Leadership Council shares more information about showcase events for Black History MonthKETV NewsWatch 7 spoke with his first presidential campaign manager, Preston Love Jr.Love and Jackson embarked on their first presidential campaign back in 1984.We peek behind the veil of their journey, navigating how to be a Black politician in turbulent times.“I am! I am! Somebody! Somebody!” Jackson chanted with the crowd on his presidential campaign in 1984, letting Americans know they have a voice.Although he never secured the seat, Love said “he was testing the waters.”“It is my contention that the changes that Jesse made within the democratic party and through the nation is the reason why Barack Obama won,” he said.Love dug his roots in politics with Jackson back in the early ‘80s.“He opened up a whole new understanding of the impact of the aggregate of the Black vote on a national scale,” he said, adding that Jackson sparked the elimination of the nationwide “Winner Take All.”“People loved Jesse Jackson,” Love said as he recalled the campaign journey, saying people waited hours for his arrival. “Most everybody would be gone, not so, they would stay until we got there.”Jackson was one of the first serious Black candidates to take a stab at the presidential seat.A voice for the underrepresented in what is known as the “Rainbow Coalition.”“He was the champion for all those areas of concentration,” Love said, talking about how Jackson represented women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community.“Hunger hurts, and somebody must reach out for all the hungry,” Jackson said during his 1984 presidential campaign rally in Omaha.“Jesse was very popular with and received strong vote from Nebraska farmers,” Love remembered.Love’s last conversation with Jackson was on the reverend’s 81st birthday; he said it was as though no time had passed.“It was bigger in hindsight now because that was the last time we really had a chance to talk,” Love said.He is the same age as Jackson and hopes to continue passing the message of hope to the younger generation. READ MORE: Black Student Leadership Council shares more information about showcase events for Black History Month“I think the Lord has kept me around to be a witness to all of this,” Love said, adding that he hopes no one forgets the groundwork Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. laid for the community to succeed.“I’m hoping people will use Jesse’s life and his legacy and some of the achievements as an impetus to get busy in 2026,” Love said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Politician, minister and Martin Luther King Jr.’s protégé, Jesse Jackson, died at age 84.
His death comes during Black History Month, which celebrates Black people’s achievements, alive or dead.
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READ MORE: Durham Museum to debut new Green Book exhibit for Black History Month
Black Student Leadership Council shares more information about showcase events for Black History Month
KETV NewsWatch 7 spoke with his first presidential campaign manager, Preston Love Jr.
Love and Jackson embarked on their first presidential campaign back in 1984.
We peek behind the veil of their journey, navigating how to be a Black politician in turbulent times.
“I am! I am! Somebody! Somebody!” Jackson chanted with the crowd on his presidential campaign in 1984, letting Americans know they have a voice.
Although he never secured the seat, Love said “he was testing the waters.”
“It is my contention that the changes that Jesse made within the democratic party and through the nation is the reason why Barack Obama won,” he said.
Love dug his roots in politics with Jackson back in the early ‘80s.
“He opened up a whole new understanding of the impact of the aggregate of the Black vote on a national scale,” he said, adding that Jackson sparked the elimination of the nationwide “Winner Take All.”
“People loved Jesse Jackson,” Love said as he recalled the campaign journey, saying people waited hours for his arrival. “Most everybody would be gone, not so, they would stay until we got there.”
Jackson was one of the first serious Black candidates to take a stab at the presidential seat.
A voice for the underrepresented in what is known as the “Rainbow Coalition.”
“He was the champion for all those areas of concentration,” Love said, talking about how Jackson represented women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community.
“Hunger hurts, and somebody must reach out for all the hungry,” Jackson said during his 1984 presidential campaign rally in Omaha.
“Jesse was very popular with and received strong vote from Nebraska farmers,” Love remembered.
Love’s last conversation with Jackson was on the reverend’s 81st birthday; he said it was as though no time had passed.
“It was bigger in hindsight now because that was the last time we really had a chance to talk,” Love said.
He is the same age as Jackson and hopes to continue passing the message of hope to the younger generation.
“I think the Lord has kept me around to be a witness to all of this,” Love said, adding that he hopes no one forgets the groundwork Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. laid for the community to succeed.
“I’m hoping people will use Jesse’s life and his legacy and some of the achievements as an impetus to get busy in 2026,” Love said.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google Search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
