Investigative Journalist Greg Palast talks to Rick Smith.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon and two-time presidential candidate, passed away on February 17, 2026, at age 84, surrounded by family. On The Rick Smith Show, host Rick Smith welcomed longtime friend and investigative journalist Greg Palast for an emotional tribute. Palast, a New York Times bestselling author known for exposing voter suppression, shared intimate stories from their five-decade alliance forged at a United Auto Workers event.

Palast recalled their first meeting 50 years ago, both young activists championing labor’s role in progressive change. “He always called me ‘young man,’ even when I was 73,” Palast said, noting Jackson’s insistence on early morning calls despite Parkinson’s, which limited his speech after 2 p.m. Just last week in Chicago, Palast planned to meet Jackson for 2026 voting rights strategies, sensing it was “end game” but committed to the fight.

Command Performances and Unyielding Activism

Jackson commanded action, summoning Palast from Europe for his film Vigilantes Inc.: America’s New Vote Suppression Hitmen premiere at the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago. Wheelchair bound but defiant, Jackson stayed through the screening and Q&A, pounding his armrest when aides tried to leave. They cowrote an op-ed on vote suppression and even collaborated on the bestselling comic Steal Back Your Vote, available free at GregPalast.com.

Palast highlighted Jackson’s labor ties post-Martin Luther King Jr., walking picket lines and allying with unions against corporate thieves like Chicago’s utilities. He praised Jackson’s “rainbow coalition” empathy for the underclass, Black, white, poor, seeing race as a class marker exploited by billionaires. Their work smashed programs like Interstate Crosscheck, with Rainbow/PUSH continuing under leaders like attorney C.K. Hoffler and daughter Santita Jackson.

A Legacy for Ordinary Fighters

Palast rejected portraying Jackson as “extraordinary.” From humble Greenville, South Carolina roots, Jackson was “an ordinary guy” who volunteered with King in Chicago’s economic justice push and refused to stop. He dismissed critics like Elizabeth Warren who overlooked him, emphasizing his role in history like the Selma bridge marches, stories even young staff need to hear.

“Is he replaceable?” Smith asked. Palast urged, “You are the leader.” Jackson’s marching orders? March yourself, don’t wait for icons. His cussedness lives in ongoing fights against vigilante vote challenges targeting voters of color. As Palast kissed Jackson’s forehead at that final screening, feeling goodbye, the message endures. Battles don’t end, carry them on.

Watch the Rainbow PUSH edition of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy featuring Reverend Jackson. Get the DVD, download, or stream it for free. Learn more at GregPalast.com.

Remembering Rev. Jesse Jackson: Greg Palast Reflects on 50 Years of Friendship