Jackson, still a frequent presence in Greenville, began down the path of civil disobedience and political activism at the Greenville County Library in 1960. He and seven other teens were arrested for using the library, which was then available to whites only. Those arrests set in motion the events that led to the desegregation of the library. And a life dedicated to political activism was born.

By 1963 Jackson was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality in Greensboro, N.C., home of his alma mater, North Carolina A&T University. The group was staging sit-ins at segregated lunch counters and other public accommodations denied to African Americans. Then in 1965 Jackson joined King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He would leave the SCLC in 1971 to start Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity). He became a national voice for poor people, using protest to get concessions from businesses to hire black employees and do business with black suppliers. He used the same tactic to get states and the federal government to create programs that provide educational and economic opportunities to the rural and urban poor.

By the 1980s Jackson began flirting with the idea of running for president. So in 1984, he ran a largely symbolic campaign. But by 1988, Jackson was a serious candidate. He won more than 6 million votes in the Democratic primary, winning five southern states on Super Tuesday.

That November Jackson would deliver an electrifying speech at the Democratic National Convention, which historians regard as one of the most significant convention speeches of the modern era. Since then Jackson has been a citizen diplomat, a political strategist and counsel to the president.

Rev. Jackson remains a tireless advocate for minorities and poor people. Most recently, he brought the nation's attention to Greenville County's decision not to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a paid holiday, a holiday that will soon be recognized. WJMZ salute the accomplishments of Jesse L. Jackson, Greenville's favorite son.