Black Mayors of America: Lower the U.S. Flag on City Property to Half-Mast in Honor of Jesse Jackson
- Donald V. Watkins
- Feb 20
- 1 min read
By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on February 20, 2026
An Editorial Opinion
Black Mayors of America,
Stop being weak-kneed punks. Honor civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, who passed on February 17, 2026, by lowering the U.S. flag on city property to half-mast until Jackson is buried. You have the power to do so. Use it.
In the 1990s, the Confederate flag flew above the U.S. flag atop of state capitol buildings across the South. It took a relentless campaign by Jesse Jackson and other civil rights leaders to remove the Confederate flag from the flagpole and relocate it to a museum.
Please remember that cities across America lowered the U.S. flag on city property to half-mast after conservative activist Charlie Kirk's unfortunate death on September 10, 2025. Like Jackson, Kirk was a private citizen.
You hold office today because of the blood, sweat, and tears that Jesse Jackson and other great civil rights leaders gave in the movement to enact the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and Fair. Housing Act of 1968 into law.
Show some courage and appreciation for Jesse Jackson’s sacrifices on your behalf. Lower the U.S. flag on city property to half-mast. Do it today.
I do agree, frailty is the best way to describe the inaction of black mayors when it come to honoring significant figures who made an impact on them becoming municipal leaders.
Since Dr. Martin Luther Kings, Jr., I can't recall a single advocate worthy of mentioning that's demonstrated broad concern for the advancement of black people than Reverand Jesse Jackson. Speaking of black mayors, Harold Washington was elected Mayor of Chicago in 1983, and became only the third black mayor of a major city. Louis Stokes of Cleveland Ohio, in 1965, and Thomas Bradley of Los Angeles. Reverend Jackson through Operation Push. organized a get out the vote drive, registering grassroot people that would vote for the first time that…
That's a really good idea, for Black mayors to fly their flags at half-mast in honor of the great civil rights icon Jesse Jackson.. But I would expand it to all mayors. And, I ask, have you written to all the Black mayors of America with this suggestion?