CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 18, 2026
JESSE JACKSON, WHO DIED YESTERDAY AT AGE 84, WAS ONE OF THE GREAT ORATORS OF OUR TIME. ALONG WITH DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. JACKSON COULD MOVE A CROWD TO CHEERS, OR TEARS WITH THE POWER OF HIS PERSONALITY.
ORDAINED A BAPTIST, HIS WAS A SOCIAL GOSPEL. I KNEW HIM A LITTLE. I ONCE ACCOMPANIED HIM TO AN ALL-BLACK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN D.C. WHERE HE TOLD YOUNG GIRLS NOT TO GET PREGNANT UNTIL THEY WERE MARRIED AND YOUNG BOYS TO TREAT GIRLS WITH RESPECT AND NOT GET THEM PREGNANT AND RUIN THEIR PROSPECTS FOR A GOOD LIFE. THE KIDS HUNG ON HIS EVERY WORD.
I ONCE INVITED HIM TO SPEAK AT JERRY FALWELL’S CHURCH IN LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA AND JACKSON INVITED FALWELL TO SPEAK AT A BLACK CHURCH IN THE CITY.
A CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE FOR MANY REASONS, JACKSON TWICE RAN FOR PRESIDENT AND WON A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF DEMOCRAT PRIMARY VOTES. PERHAPS HIS MOST FAMOUS LINE WAS “I AM SOMEBODY.” HE NEVER GAVE THE REASON WHY. HE WAS SOMEBODY BECAUSE HE LIKE, EVERY HUMAN, WAS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. I’M CAL THOMAS.
