Rainbow PUSH formally announces new president

CHICAGO - The Rainbow PUSH Coalition formally introduced its new leader this week.

This is the first new president in five decades. 

Rev. Fredrick Haynes III says he is now standing on the shoulders of Rev. Jesse Jackson and is carrying the baton. 

The 62-year-old has served as the senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas since 1983, growing the membership from 100 members to over 13,000. 

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Jackson founded Operation PUSH in 1971, and it became Rainbow PUSH in 1984 when Jackson ran for president.

Jackson registered countless voters when he ran back then and in 1988.

Because of the Supreme Court's decision to roll back affirmative action, the new president of the organization says the first order of business is to mobilize again.

"We're gonna pick up that baton and in the spirit of ‘84 and ’88, we're going to register voters, but we're also going to register voters with an agenda," said Haynes.

The new president says the headquarters for the organization will remain in Chicago, but they will have a hub in Dallas, Detroit, Atlanta and other major cities.