Jefferson–Jackson Day

Jefferson–Jackson Day is the annual fundraising celebration (dinner) held by Democratic Party organizations in the United States.[1] It is named for Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, which the party calls its founders. During presidential election campaigns, key dinners are important venues for candidates to attend.

Not to be confused with Jefferson's Birthday.

President and Mrs. Truman at the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, 1952

It is usually held in February or March around the same time as the Republican Party's equivalent Lincoln Day, Reagan Day, or Lincoln–Reagan Day dinners. The Iowa dinner is held in November so as to precede the state's caucuses for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Into the 1960s, state and local Democratic Parties across the country depended on well-attended Jefferson–Jackson Day dinners to provide their annual funding.[2]

Controversies

Due to controversies over Jefferson's slaveholding and Jackson's policy toward Native Americans while in office, some Democratic Party organizations have been removing Jefferson and Jackson from the title of party fundraisers.[3] The flow of the State Democratic Parties seeking to change the name of their iconic Jefferson-Jackson dinner is spurred by a desire to embrace a more modern identity.[4] The argument is made that while Jefferson and Jackson both are great men and for a time embodied the spirit of the Democratic Party, they now fail to represent the breadth of change that has affected the Democratic Party and its current membership.[5][6]

Many state Democratic Parties have changed the traditional name. For example:

  • the Democratic Party of Mississippi also honors civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer, with a Jefferson–Jackson–Hamer celebration,[7]
  • Until 2015, the Democratic State Central Committee of Connecticut held "Jefferson–Jackson–Bailey Day" in honor of state Democratic boss and Democratic National Committee Chairman John Moran Bailey. It was renamed the "Connecticut Democratic Progress Dinner."
  • Florida Democratic Party renamed their key dinner event "Leadership Blue."
  • Wisconsin Democrats renamed their dinner the "Founders' Day Gala." Minnesota Democrats renamed theirs the "DFL Founders Day Dinner."
  • Missouri has changed the name of their State Dinner.[8]
  • Georgia has changed the name of their State Dinner.[8]
  • Iowa in August, 2015 voted to change the name of their Jefferson-Jackson Dinner.[4] It is now known as the Liberty and Justice Celebration.[9]
  • Nebraska Democrats host an annual Morrison Exon Dinner, named after former governors Frank B. Morrison and J. James Exon. [10]
  • As of 2016, Indiana Democrats have removed Jefferson and Jackson's names from the dinner. [11]

See also

References
  1. Obama sets sights on November battle Archived 2008-02-28 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Kari A. Frederickson (2001). The Dixiecrat Revolt and the End of the Solid South, 1932-1968. U of North Carolina Press. p. 80.
  3. Martin, Jonathan (11 August 2015). "State by State, Democratic Party Is Erasing Ties to Jefferson and Jackson" – via NYTimes.com.
  4. Southall, Ashley (2015-08-08). "Jefferson-Jackson Dinner Will Be Renamed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  5. Berman, Russell. "No Longer the Party of Jefferson and Jackson?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  6. "Democrats Consider Whether To Rename Jefferson-Jackson Dinner". NPR.org. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  7. Top presidential contenders may show up in Mississippi this month Archived 2012-09-19 at Archive.today
  8. "Democrats Consider Whether To Rename Jefferson-Jackson Dinner". NPR.org. Retrieved 2016-10-24.
  9. https://www.radioiowa.com/2019/09/12/iowa-democrats-rebrand-fundraiser-as-liberty-justice-celebration/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. "Morrison Exon Annual Fundraiser and Volunteer Awards". Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  11. https://www.tribstar.com/news/democrats-dump-jefferson-jackson-names-from-dinners/article_047f8c41-6703-57c5-bd10-8e519b00512e.html
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