Courting black voters, Bernie Sanders draws personal contrast with Trump

U.S. 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), speaks as Rev. Al Sharpton looks on at the 2019 National Action Network National Convention in New York, U.S., April 5, 2019. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders, courting the black voters who did not support his 2016 White House run, drew a sharp personal contrast on Friday with what he called President Donald Trump's racist policies.

Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, told a crowd of African-American activists that his push for economic equality, including universal healthcare, free public college and a higher minimum wage, would help ease the country's racial wealth gap.