New Faces in Congress is a diary series meant to highlight our new and diverse members of Congress in the Democratic Party. These 36 House freshmen range from political neophytes to seasoned legislative veterans. The series will run every Sunday morning, bright and early.
Last week, the New Faces in Congress series continued with a profile on Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove from California’s 37th district. If you missed it, feel free to click on this link to read all about her!
This member of Congress is actually the second member of the family to be sworn into Congress. One of his brothers served in the House, also from the Chicago area, from 1995 until resigning in 2012. He is a son of a famous civil rights activist and presidential candidate in both 1984 and 1988 in Rev. Jesse Jackson.
He chose not to run for office until the 2022 election, when Rep. Bobby Rush finally decided to retire. As with many safe districts, the primary was a crowded affair, with many different candidates aspiring to represent the south side of Chicago in Congress. Our eventual winner stood out as one of the more progressive options, and that allowed him to win a plurality of the vote.
Today, the spotlight is on Rep. Jonathan Jackson!
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Rep. Jonathan Jackson (Illinois-1)
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Biography
Rep. Jonathan Jackson grew up in a politically active family, and he was no exception to the activism started by his father. He has played a key role in both Chicago and abroad, as his House bio notes.
Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson represents Illinois' First Congressional District. Born to civil rights leaders Rev. Jesse Jackson and Jacqueline Jackson, the fight for underrepresented people runs in Congressman Jackson's blood. He has long been an advocate for marginalized communities using his platform to fight for equity and civil rights.
Congressman Jackson's commitment to social justice and equality has been the driving force behind his activism. As the national spokesman for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Congressman Jackson raised awareness about innocence and juvenile justice issues. He was heavily involved in the Chicago Police Department's false confessions cases, such as those of Darrell Cannon, Oscar Walden, and Johnnie Lee Savory. He played a role in several high-profile human rights and social justice cases, including negotiations with Syrian President Hafez-Al-Assad for the release of captured American Navy Lieutenant Robert Goodman and with Fidel Castro for the release of 22 Americans held in Cuba.
Congressman Jackson values public education and fervently supports expanding opportunities to families regardless of income. In Chicago, he fought against the closure of Chicago Public Schools where he led public hearings and provided civic education training to preserve community memory and prevent closures and turnarounds by private companies. His efforts helped Guggenheim Elementary School come off the closure list in 2010 and saved other schools from the same fate.
Congressman Jackson grew up in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business. Jackson has launched several telecom, distribution, and construction businesses. He has also taught finance and entrepreneurship at Chicago City Colleges and was a business professor at Chicago State University.
Congressman Jackson now brings his activism to Congress. He is committed to promoting policies that advance equality and justice, improving access to quality education and healthcare, and protecting the environment. He proudly serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is dedicated to working with his colleagues to pass meaningful legislation that will benefit the people of IL-01 and the nation as a whole.
He has put his MBA from Northwestern to good use, as he also has a long career in managing businesses in the Chicago area. Wikipedia has more:
Jackson started his career in 1988 at Drexel Burnham Lambert as an investment analyst for Michael Milken, an American financier and philanthropist, noted for his role in developing a market for high-yield bonds known as junk bonds. Jackson later worked as an analyst at Independence Bank, was a Shatkin Arbor runner at the Chicago Board of Trade, and developed real estate for East Lake Management in Chicago. He rejoined Milken at Knowledge Universe in the late 1990s and engages in investments in the wireless, real estate and distribution sectors.[4]
In 1998, Jackson, with his brother Yusef, became owner of a Chicago-based Anheuser-Busch Cos. distributorship – River North Sales and Service, LLC.[19] The deal was met with charges of skepticism and nepotism because Jackson's father had previously organized a boycott of the brewery's products in the early 1980s. The elder Jackson wanted the brewery to do more business in the African-American community.[20]
In 2009, Jackson lead a group of minority investors in a $250 million bid to take over ION Media Networks, the country's largest chain of independent TV stations.[21] Partnered with Cyrus Capital Partners, a New York investment firm, Jackson argued that second-lien lenders are treated as second-class citizens.[22]
He has taught finance and entrepreneurship at City Colleges of Chicago[23] and is a business professor at Chicago State University.
As with every other new member of the House, Rep. Jonathan Jackson was interviewed by CSPAN. It is interesting to note that he said that originally he wanted nothing to do with politics! Instead, he wanted to be a businessman.
His combination of political activism through the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and the skills he developed in the business world give Rep. Jonathan Jackson a unique profile, unlike many members of Congress. Illinois’ 1st district chose a member of Congress that will hopefully be able to deliver on both much needed jobs and also racial and social justice!
Notable Media Headlines
I was mildly surprised that Rep. Jonathan Jackson hasn’t made more headlines. Even at this late date, his father still is in and out of the news. Perhaps he is still adjusting to the realities of his new career in Congress. He was the spokesperson for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, so he does have prior media experience.
After 100 days in Congress, Jackson sat with the local CBS affiliate in Chicago for an interview. He reflected on his first 100 days in Congress and his hopes for the rest of the session.
In a local headline, Jackson discussed many issues facing the 1st district in a town hall right around the 100 day mark. The Chicago Tribune was present, and wrote an article about the town hall. Jackson was particularly adamant that SNAP funding be preserved.
Jackson thanked labor unions for their support as he recapped accomplishments since new members of the 118th Congress were sworn in Jan. 7. Nearly a year ago, Jackson bested 20 other candidates to win a Democratic primary and virtually ensure a November election win in the deep blue 1st District.
Jackson, a son of civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson, became the district’s first new representative since former Rep. Bobby Rush was first elected in 1992. Jackson said he took the advice of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and accepted a seat on the Agriculture Committee.
Jackson said farmers, including growers he met Monday during a visit to Monee, told him Congress should not cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that accounts for about 80% of the $1.2 trillion farm bill. Republicans have proposed tightening work requirements for food stamps to slash federal spending.
“I don’t know who the people in Washington are representing, but the farmers want the SNAP program,” Jackson said. “That program does not need to be cut.”
“I don’t know if you’ve entered a grocery store recently, but my groceries went up,” Jackson said. “Sometimes you’ve got to put something back, and that hurts, doesn’t it? It’s terrible, but our seniors don’t have enough money to have nutritional food.”
He joined Meet the Press around the time of the East Palestine train derailment. In this 8:00 segment, he called for President Biden to visit the community, as well as discussing the stalled push for voting rights after the annual Bloody Sunday march, and the lack of focus on fixing crime.
Jackson joined WGN Chicago right after the heinous Extreme Court struck down affirmative action. He mentioned that almost every advancement in policy purposefully left African Americans behind to cater to racist white fears.
As a part of a prominent political family, Rep. Jonathan Jackson can hold his own with the media. He isn’t the most engaging speaker in Congress, but he has an ability to think on the spot. He also has a calming demeanor, which allows for the listener to focus on what is being said. I look forward to hearing more from Jackson in the future.
Bills and Legislative Priorities
Rep. Jonathan Jackson is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, which brings many important issues that go under the radar out into the spotlight. For instance, his prior educational activism and his penchant for Black History led him to make this maiden speech on the House floor. In it, he acknowledges the 100th anniversary of the Rosewood Massacre and implores schools to teach these shameful moments in history to students.
He is also a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which means he is in the left half of the entire membership of the Democratic caucus in the House. He has been mum on legislation he co-sponsors or introduces, but he did mention support for Medicare for All and the PRO Act.
In terms of committees, Rep. Jonathan Jackson has perches on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Agricultural Committee. Both tend to not make headlines, but they are vital in the functioning of this nation. Jackson, as mentioned above, has made it his goal to preserve SNAP on the Agricultural Committee. He also is working on eliminating food deserts, which sadly his district has plenty of.
On the most consequential bill of the 118th Congress so far, Jackson was a YES on the Bipartisan Debt Ceiling Deal. He expressed outrage at some of the cuts that made the deal possible, but the threat of default and a worldwide recession made it imperative to him to vote yes on the deal.
Jackson showed his priorities by his statements about the three Extreme Court cases at the end of June. He made statements about the student debt and especially the affirmative action cases, in addition to the interview I posted above about affirmative action.
Rep. Jonathan Jackson needs recognition for his hard work so far in Congress, and he definitely needs more followers to get his message out to his district and the larger political community. He has been steadily gaining followers, starting with about 600 a couple months ago and now reaching 1.2k.
Rev. Jesse Jackson was and is a political force in America, and it is difficult to fill in those shoes! One brother already tried and failed to do so, and now it is up to Rep. Jonathan Jackson to fulfill the legacy of his father. He definitely has the political skills to be successful, but it will take time to step out of that enormous shadow Jackson, Sr. casts.
Being in a prominent Chicago political family will mean that Rep. Jonathan Jackson should have as many media appearances as he desires locally. In terms of a national profile, that may have to wait for a few terms. Of course, Jackson may choose to stay out of the limelight entirely, and that is his right and choice if he so desires.
It is tough being in the minority in any legislative body. However, that may be a blessing in disguise for a legislative neophyte like Rep. Jonathan Jackson. It gives him time to learn how to navigate the convoluted world of Washington, DC with little pressure on him to deliver except on constituent services. His profile is unique amongst the freshmen in the House, and it may propel him to be the best choice for heir to Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition legacy.
Next week, I will profile Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado’s 7th district. See you then!
Rep. Jonathan Jackson (Illinois-1)
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Please help our Democratic freshmen in the 118th Congress raise more funds with the New Faces in Congress Fund. Until election day in 2024, we plan to regularly add new names to our list of recipients. Please share a link to this site on your social media!