The Rev. Jesse Jackson was hospitalized and undergoing tests Thursday after complaining of severe stomach pains. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and small and large intestines. It isn’t considered serious for most people.
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. (born October 8, 1941) is an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as "shadow senator" for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to form Rainbow/PUSH. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. is his eldest son. According to an AP-AOL "Black Voices" poll in February 2006, Jackson was voted "the most important black leader" with 15% of the vote