Hakeem Jeffries is a prominent American politician and attorney who serves as the House Minority Leader and leader of the House Democratic Caucus.
Born on August 4, 1970, in Brooklyn, New York, he grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood and is a product of the city’s public school system, having graduated from Midwood High School.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Binghamton University, a master’s in public policy from Georgetown University, and a J.D. magna cum laude from New York University School of Law.
Jeffries has built a reputation as a dedicated public servant focused on issues like criminal justice reform, community development, and representing diverse constituents in New York’s Eighth Congressional District, which spans parts of Brooklyn and Queens.
Siblings
Hakeem has one sibling, his younger brother Hasan Kwame Jeffries.
Hasan, born in 1973, is an accomplished academic who serves as the College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Associate Professor of History at Ohio State University.
He specializes in African American history and is the author of the book Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt.
The brothers, raised by their parents Laneda (a social worker) and Marland Jeffries (a substance abuse counselor), have maintained a close relationship, often appearing together at events and discussing topics like politics, history, and community values.
Career
Jeffries began his professional journey in the legal field after law school, clerking for a federal judge and practicing at prestigious firms like Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, as well as serving as litigation counsel for Viacom and CBS.
He entered public office in 2007 when he was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he represented a Brooklyn district for six years until 2012.
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During this time, he focused on local issues such as saving community hospitals and advocating for fair policies.
In 2012, he successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives, winning election to New York’s 8th Congressional District and taking office in 2013.
He has since been reelected multiple times, now serving his seventh term.
In Congress, Jeffries has held key roles including whip of the Congressional Black Caucus, co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, and chairman of the House Democratic Caucus from 2019 to 2023.
In November 2022, his colleagues unanimously elected him House Democratic Leader, a historic milestone as he became the first Black person and the first person born after World War II to lead a major party in either chamber of Congress.
He also served as one of the House impeachment managers during the 2020 Senate trial of President Donald Trump, becoming the first African American man in that role.
Accolades
Jeffries is widely regarded as one of the most productive legislators in Congress, successfully shepherding multiple bills into law with bipartisan support.
Key accomplishments include championing the First Step Act of 2018, a landmark criminal justice reform measure signed into law to reduce sentencing disparities and improve prison conditions, as well as the Music Modernization Act, which updated copyright laws for the digital era.
He has been honored for his role in advancing police reform, such as pushing for federal bans on choke holds following high-profile incidents.
His unanimous election as House Minority Leader in 2023 marked a historic first for African American leadership in Congress.
Additional distinctions include his service on the House Judiciary and Budget Committees, his contributions to the “For the People” agenda that helped Democrats regain the House majority in 2018, and his record-setting nearly nine-hour floor speech in 2025 protesting certain policy measures.
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