Rev. Jesse Jackson, courtesy photo

Rev. Al Sharpton, courtesy photo

Reverend Al's campaign will effectively usurp Rev. Jackson in politics and the civil rights movement. Jackson's attempts to gain the Democratic Party's nomination for president made many African Americans happy "to support the cause," garnering over $40 million for his candidacies. The long-disbursed $40 million would have earned three-fold its initial worth and improved the lives of thousands of blacks had it been investment in a collective Urban Development Fund. But, it illustrates the African-American population's fixation on the power of politics opposed to their trust in that of the private sector.

The question politically-prone blacks should be asking is: "What's in it for me?" At the end of Sharpton's campaign, what will it have accrued for you and your family? There is no question that Jesse's runs for president provided good things for a few Democratic political operatives. Those blacks who gained high-level government offices in the Clinton Administration - Ron Brown, Alexis Herman, Minyon Moore, etc. - were major players in Jackson's campaign. But, other than positioning these people for jobs, not much trickled down to those living on or around America's Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenues.

The street-wise Sharpton's challenge to Jesse's leadership role among Black Americans puts Jackson on notice that his stature is in decline. Sharpton's measurable actions toward the masses reveal Jesse as a comfortable creature of Wall Street, and less and less the principal advocate for ghetto Main Streets.

There is not much in money or opportunities from Jackson's civil rights or presidential campaigns that has reached people on the streets. After three decades at the helm of civil-and-human-rights movements, Rev. Jackson now spends the bulk of his time in political boardrooms. Conversely, Sharpton - currently in jail - has remained in touch with "the people" and stayed on the picket lines.

While Jackson stood up for Burger King executives against their African-American franchisees - based on his 20-year relationship with the company - Sharpton stood in the streets telling the masses they should "hold the cheese, lettuce and the Whopper" until more was done to get blacks in business with the company. When it came to tapping other corporate coffers for the public, versus their private organizations, the two had opposite approaches. In the Citicorp-Travelers Group and Bank of America-Nation's Bank mergers, Jackson nixed Community Reinvestment programs in favor of direct contributions to his group. Sharpton stood firm for more money into urban neighborhoods. And, while Jackson's Wall Street Project has had a limited number of blacks in that financial mix, Sharpton's Madison Avenue Initiative encouraged companies to use black-owned advertising agencies and advertise in black media. Sharpton got companies such as Macy's Department Stores to place valuable, log-run advertising contracts with Black Newspaper owners.

Al may be eyeing the White House, but he looks better for us if he stays in the outhouse.

William Reed is the author of "Who's Who in Black Corporate America." For questions or comments email him at businessexchange@metroconnection.info.