Phil Donahue, truly a huge public personality, television show host and interviewer, cultural force, and a beloved, very good person, died yesterday at his New York City home.
If you are too young to appreciate fully what Phil was and did, search the Internet and start watching. Also read the obituaries that are now appearing.
I grew up with famous Phil Donahue on my television.
I became acquainted with off-TV Phil Donahue through the Robert H. Jackson Center, which he visited a number of times and supported generously, including by speaking at fundraising events.
Phil’s interest in and admiration for Robert H. Jackson was rooted in Jackson’s 1943 opinion for the Supreme Court in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, explaining the constitutional rights of Jehovah’s Witness schoolchildren not to be compelled by school officials to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or salute the United States flag.
Here’s Phil at the Robert H. Jackson Center in 2006, being interviewed about Barnette by Jackson Center co-founder Greg Peterson:
Here’s Greg interviewing Phil in 2010 about the Barnette decision and its meaning in his life:
Finally, here are other Phil Donahue video treasures that are in the Jackson Center’s YouTube video archive:
https://www.youtube.com/@RobertHJacksonCenter/search?query=phil%20donahue
I am very grateful for Phil’s teaching, his wisdom, his energetic spirit, and his generosity. I send deep condolences to all of his loved ones.
