Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The nation lost a giant. The Reverend Jesse Jackson has passed.
For many, he was a civil rights icon. For others, a presidential candidate. For some, a lightning rod. But for millions — he was a voice. A voice that refused to whisper when justice demanded a shout.
I had the opportunity to meet Rev. Jackson on several occasions, both in ministerial spaces and in political settings. And let me tell you something — no matter how crowded the room was, no matter how many cameras were flashing, when he spoke to you, he made you feel like you were his friend. Not a photo opportunity. Not a handshake in passing. A friend.
He was down to earth — approachable, warm — even though to so many across this country and around the world, he was a real-life superhero. A man who stood in rooms most of us would never enter, and stood firm in moments most of us would never face.
Scripture says in Micah 6:8, ‘What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.’ Rev. Jackson tried to live that out in public view — flaws and all — for decades.
My prayers tonight go to Mrs. Jackson — a daughter of the Treasure Coast where I was raised. My prayers go to his sons and daughter. And I especially lift up my best friend and mentor, Rev. Rae Lewis Thornton, who served as a youth leader in his presidential campaigns and became extended family through that journey.
Rest in peace. And rest in power, Rev. Jackson.
The nation lost a giant. The Reverend Jesse Jackson has passed.
For many, he was a civil rights icon. For others, a presidential candidate. For some, a lightning rod. But for millions — he was a voice. A voice that refused to whisper when justice demanded a shout.
I had the opportunity to meet Rev. Jackson on several occasions, both in ministerial spaces and in political settings. And let me tell you something — no matter how crowded the room was, no matter how many cameras were flashing, when he spoke to you, he made you feel like you were his friend. Not a photo opportunity. Not a handshake in passing. A friend.
He was down to earth — approachable, warm — even though to so many across this country and around the world, he was a real-life superhero. A man who stood in rooms most of us would never enter, and stood firm in moments most of us would never face.
Scripture says in Micah 6:8, ‘What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.’ Rev. Jackson tried to live that out in public view — flaws and all — for decades.
My prayers tonight go to Mrs. Jackson — a daughter of the Treasure Coast where I was raised. My prayers go to his sons and daughter. And I especially lift up my best friend and mentor, Rev. Rae Lewis Thornton, who served as a youth leader in his presidential campaigns and became extended family through that journey.
Rest in peace. And rest in power, Rev. Jackson.
