IDKMYDE: Charles Jackson French

On today’s episode of IDKMYDE, we dive into the incredible but overlooked story of Charles Jackson French—the original Black Aquaman. His bravery was unmatched, but history almost erased his name. We’re here to make sure that doesn’t happen.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
On today's episode. If I didn't know, maybe you didn't either.
I want to tell you about a hero you probably
won't find in most history books. His name was Charles
Jackson French, and in nineteen forty two, during World War Two,
he did something that movies are made of. But the
crazy thing is most people don't even know his name.

(00:20):
I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know. I
didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know.
I didn't know. Now, before I get into it, let
me ask y'all, who remembers the Montgomery brawl. Yeah, y'all
remember that viral moment when Buddy was on the dock

(00:41):
in Montgomery threw his hat up in the air and
did the black signal, and then black folk came through
with them chairs and beat the wheels off them white folk.
Y'all remember that one black dude they called Aquamaine because
he swam across the water ready to throw them hands. Well,
imagine a real life version of that, except wasn't no chairs,
and instead of swimming to a fight, the man was
swimming to say lives well. Charles Jackson French, he was

(01:03):
the original black aquaman. Picture this. He was just twenty
years old. He was a US Navy sailor on a
ship called the USS Gregory, and then the Japanese forces
attacked it. They tore that ship up. Sailors were left
stranded in the middle of the ocean, some of them wounded,
floating on a life raft. Now this is where French's
story gets legendary. He didn't panic, he didn't run. He

(01:25):
grabbed a rope, tied it around his waist, and then
started swimming. And I'm not talking about for a couple
of minutes. I'm talking hours. He pulled that life raft
full of injured men through dangerous open water. And to
make it even more insane, these waters were known for
having sharks, hell of them. Think about that. Imagine swimming
in the dark, exhausted your arms and legs, burning, knowing

(01:48):
at any moment something could be lurking right up under you,
and still he kept going. French wasn't just fighting off sharks.
He was dodging the enemy too. Japanese forces were patrolling,
searching for revolvers to capture or kill the men on
the life Rapper was telling him stop, begging them to
let him go, but he refused. He swam until they
made it to safety. Now you think someone that brave,

(02:11):
that selfless will be celebrated like a hero, right, But
back then America wasn't exactly handing out medals to black men,
no matter how heroic they were. His story almost got drowned,
but we're here today to make sure his name is remembered.
Charles Jackson French showed us what real courage looks like.
He ain't wait for someone to save him. Nah, he

(02:32):
became to save you. And if it's anything you're gonna
take from this story, let it be this. When it's
your time to step up, don't hesitate. Be the hero,
even if nobody's watching, even if it's hard, even if
you don't get the credit. Do what's right. Because history
may not always recognize you at first, but the truth
never fades. So today, let's remember Charles Jackson French a

(02:55):
real one, a legend, a hero, someone that I didn't know.
Maybe you didn't either,