February 20, 2026
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
Vol.31, Issue 3
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African-American News&Issues
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
REVEREND JESSE JACKSON 1941 -- 2026
TRAILBLAZER AND ADVOCATE By: Fred Smith
CHRISTIAN MENEFEE
AL GREEN
Jesse Jackson, one of the most recognizable voices of the modern Civil Rights Movement, passed away after a lifetime devoted to justice, equality, and political empowerment. His death marks the end of an era for many who came of age during the struggles of the 1960s and beyond. For decades, Jackson stood at the forefront of movements demanding voting rights, economic opportunity, and an end to racial discrimination. His presence in American public JARVIS ROBERT SYLVIA JOHNSON SLATER GARCIA life shaped conversations about race, poverty, and democracy for more than half a century. Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson rose to national prominence as a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr.. He worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and later founded organizations dedicated to economic justice and political advocacy. After King’s assassination in 1968, Jackson continued the work of advancing civil rights, evenHouston today: a majority minority district with strong tually establishing the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition to Latino and African American populations, growing promote social change and corporate accountability. immigrant communities, and a high concentration of Jackson made history in 1984 and 1988 when working class families. he ran for president of the United States, becomThe data behind the new district shows a community ing one of the first African Americans to mount a that is younger than average, largely made up of renters, serious campaign for the nation’s highest office. His caregivers, service workers, small business employees, campaigns energized millions of voters, especially and entrepreneurs. Median household incomes across young people and communities of color, and helped much of the district fall below statewide averages, while expand the political influence of Black Americans the costs of housing, healthcare, transportation, and within the Democratic Party. Though he did not win childcare continue to rise. These are communities that the nomination, his campaigns laid groundwork that contribute deeply to the regional economy but too often would later influence future candidates and broaden feel the impact of policy decisions made far from their the national political landscape. neighborhoods. Throughout his life, Jackson was known for his Recently, Christian Menefee won a special election to powerful oratory and his ability to mobilize diverse complete the remaining term of Sylvester Turner for coalitions around shared causes. He advocated CD-18. That election ensured representation for the not only for African Americans but also for workers, remainder of the term which ends next Jan. Menefee is immigrants, and marginalized communities now running for a full term in the AA District on pg. 3 worldwide. newly configured Congressional
TWO NEW DISTRICTS AND A BALL OF CONFUSION
By: Robert Slater Texas’s newly drawn Congressional District 29 is not starting from scratch. In fact, one of the most important facts voters should know is this: nearly 60 percent of the population that previously made up Congressional District 18 now resides in the new District 29. This means the voices, concerns, and lived experiences of long standing communities are carrying forward into a new political reality. What is different is not the people. What is different is the opportunity. Early voting runs from February 17 through February 27. Election Day is March 3. District 29 now brings together a broad stretch of North, Northeast, and Northwest Houston and surrounding areas, including ZIP codes 77009, 77014, 77016, 77018, 77022, 77026, 77032, 77037, 77038, 77039, 77040, 77041, 77055, 77060, 77064, 77066, 77067, 77068, 77069, 77073, 77076, 77080, 77086, 77088, 77090, 77091, 77092, 77093, 77315, 77338, 77339, 77346, 77373, and 77396. These areas reflect the demographic reality of