Jefferson-Jackson Day is the most common name given to the annual fundraising celebration (dinner) held by Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 organizations in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is named for Presidents

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...

 and Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...

. During presidential election campaigns, certain dinners are considered important venues for candidates to attend.

It is usually held in February or March around the same time as the Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

's equivalent Lincoln Day

Lincoln Day

Lincoln Day is the primary annual celebration and fundraising event of many state and county organizations of the Republican Party in the United States...

, Reagan Day

Reagan Day

The Reagan Day celebration is a name sometimes given to the primary annual fundraising event of the U.S. Republican Party on local and state levels...

, or Lincoln-Reagan Day dinners. The Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

 dinner is held in November so as to precede the state's caucuses for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Many state Democratic Parties have used the day to highlight local party leaders. For example, the Democratic Party of Mississippi

Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi

The Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Mississippi. Its headquarters is located in Jackson which is also the state capitol....

 also honors civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hamer was an American voting rights activist and civil rights leader....

, with a Jefferson-Jackson-Hamer celebration, while the Democratic State Central Committee of Connecticut

Democratic State Central Committee of Connecticut

The Democratic State Central Committee of Connecticut is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Connecticut. The state chair of the party is Nancy DiNardo, and the Vice Chair is State Representative Steve Fontana...

 holds "Jefferson-Jackson-Bailey Day" in honor of state Democratic boss and Democratic National Committee

Democratic National Committee

The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...

 Chairman John Moran Bailey

John Moran Bailey

John Moran Bailey was a U.S. political figure.He dominated Connecticut Democratic politics as a party boss for many years. He served as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1961 until 1968, and was generally seen as one of the main behind-the-scenes backers of John F...

.

The candidates are forbidden to use notes or teleprompters in their speeches.