Description:This text explores the long history of African American candidates for President and Vice President, examining the impact of each candidate on the American public, as well as the contribution they all made toward advancing racial equality in America. Introduction: The African American quest for the presidency / Bruce A. Glasrud and Cary D. Wintz -- Beginning the trek : Douglass, Bruce, Black conventions, independent political parties / Bruce A. Glasrud -- The Communist Party of the United States and African American political candidates / David Cullen and Kyle G. Wilkison -- Charlotta A. Bass : win or lose, we win / Carolyn Wedin -- Shirley Chisholm : a catalyst for change / Maxine D. Jones -- The Socialist Workers Party and African Americans / Dwonna Naomi Goldstone -- Civil rights activists and the reach for political power / Jean Van Delinder -- Jesse Jackson : run, Jesse, run! / James M. Smallwood -- Lenora Branch Fulani : challenging the rules of the game / Omar H. Ali -- Race activists and fringe parties with a message / Charles Orson Cook -- Black politicians : paving the way / Hanes Walton, Jr. ... [et at.] -- Colin Powell : the candidate who wasn't / Cary D. Wintz -- Barack Hussein Obama: an inspiration of hope, an agent for change / Paul Finkelman