Video by Tom Malkowicz
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of the most charismatic and influential leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and of Democratic politics, ran for president twice, fought for policies to protect the poor and remained a champion for justice and equality throughout his life. He died Feb. 17, 2026, at age 84.
“We do not really represent left wing or right wing. We represent the moral center, and that’s a coveted position,” Jackson said in a 1989 interview for “Eyes on the Prize II.” “After all, hope and love and sharing and family and peace and justice are all moral center concepts. We must hold on to them with an obsession, with a sense of joy and a sense of responsibility.”
In the hourlong video, digitized by WashU Libraries, Jackson reflects on his relationship with Martin Luther King Jr., his role in Chicago politics and how he found himself to be a presidential candidate.
“I began to raise the question that a Black ought to run. It was far from my mind, running,” Jackson said. “It was met with a certain amount of contempt. Aw, be serious, who can run? Who is qualified? At some point, ‘Run Jesse, run’ began to emerge.”
The video is part of the Henry Hampton Collection, which is housed at Washington University in St. Louis. Hampton graduated from WashU in 1961 and founded Blackside Inc., which produced “Eyes on the Prize,” “America’s War on Poverty” and a number of other documentaries on racial justice, politics and culture.
In 2002, WashU acquired the vast 35,000-plus piece collection and has since digitized thousands of interviews, audio, scripts, research and photographs for public access. Interviewees include Muhammad Ali, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Harry Belafonte and U.S. Congressman John R. Lewis.
Jackson also spoke at the WashU Assembly Series in 1972 and 1991. To access recordings of his talks, reach out to the WashU Special Collections at spec@wumail.wustl.edu.
