Jesse Jackson: Chronology

• October 8, 1941
  Jesse Louis Burns born.

• 1956
  Takes his stepfather's name. Becomes Jesse Louis Jackson.

• Spring 1959
  Graduates from Sterling High School in Greenville, South Carolina.

• Fall 1959-Spring 1960
  Attends University of Illinois.

• Fall 1961
  Transfers to North Carolina Agricultural & Technical College.

• December 31, 1962
  Marries Jacqueline Lavinia Brown.

• April/May/June 1963
  Becomes a leader of civil rights demonstrations in Greensboro, North Carolina.

• June 6, 1963
  Arrested in Greensboro for "inciting to riot and disturbing the peace and dignity of the state."

• May 1964
  Graduates from North Carolina A & T.

• September 1964
  Enters the Chicago Theological Seminary.

• March 1965
  After watching 'Bloody Sunday' on television, Jackson is among thousands who head to Selma, Alabama. Meets Dr. King; asks him for a job.

• Spring 1966
  Becomes head of Chicago chapter of SCLC's Operation Breadbasket. Launches first economic boycott.

• Summer 1966
  Jackson among the leaders of King's open housing marches in Chicago.

• Summer of 1967
  Becomes the national director of Operation Breadbasket.

• April 4, 1968
  King assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee while there to support striking garbage workers.

• June 30, 1968
  Jackson becomes an ordained minister.

• December 1971
  Resigns from SCLC and starts Operation PUSH.

• Summer 1972
  Jackson and William Singer unseat the Mayor Daley delegate slate at the Democratic convention in Miami.

• 1977
  Founds PUSH/Excel, a program to encourage inner-city kids in their schoolwork.

• 1979
  Makes controversial visit to Middle East.

• October 1983
  Enters the 1984 Democratic presidential race.

• December 1983
  In Syria, frees downed U.S. pilot Robert Goodman.

• February 1984
  'Hymietown' comments reported; he apologizes.

• 1984
  Founds the National Rainbow Coalition.

• March 1988
  With his victory in Michigan, Jackson takes the lead in popular votes and delegates in the 1988 Democratic presidential primary. Eventually loses to Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.

• 1989
  Moves to Washington, D.C.

• September 1991
  Wins the release of hundreds of foreign nationals being held in Kuwait by Saddam Hussein.

• Fall 1991
  Announces he will not run for President in 1992.

• 1996
  Returns to Operation PUSH in Chicago.

• February 1997
  Jackson proposes an initiative to help close the learning gap between black and white children in part by emphasizing the role of parents. He seeks pledges from approximately 40,000 black parents to become more involved with their children's education and plans meetings with school officials from 45 cities.

• December 1997
  Jackson visits Kenya as President Clinton's "special envoy for democracy" and speaks with Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi to promote peaceful national elections.

• February 1998
  Jackson returns to Kenya to help defuse ethnic tensions and keep Kenya's democratic reforms on track.

• April 29, 1999
  During the Kosovo war, Jackson leaves for Belgrade to negotiate the release of three U.S. POW's captured on the Macedonia border while patrolling with a UN peacekeeping unit.

• May 1999
  Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic releases the three POW's. After his meeting with Milosevic, Jackson urges NATO officials and Milosevic to "choose the bargaining table over the battlefield."