Jesse Jackson was an American civil rights activist, politician, and Baptist minister. As a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jackson was instrumental in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 70s, changed the way presidentical candidates were chosen with his historic presidentail campaigns, and founded the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

Al Sharpton is a minister, activist, and one of the nation's most distinguished leaders in the fight against injustice. He has advocated for civil rights for over fifty years, since he was appointed by Jesse Jackson as youth director of Operation Breadbasket at the age of thirteen. Reverend Sharpton is the founder and President of the National Action Network, and hosts PoliticsNation on MS NOW as well as Keepin' It Real, a nationally syndicated radio show.