History of Hakeem Jeffries in Timeline

Hakeem Jeffries is an American politician and attorney serving as House Minority Leader since 2023. He has led the House Democratic Caucus since 2023. Representing New York's 8th congressional district since 2013, now in his seventh term, Jeffries previously served in the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1965: Supreme Court Decision on Voting Rights Act

After the Supreme Court decision on the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Jeffries addressed special orders on the House floor regarding voting rights.

August 4, 1970: Hakeem Jeffries Born

On August 4, 1970, Hakeem Sekou Jeffries was born. He is an American politician and attorney.

Others born on this day/year

1988: Graduated from Midwood High School

In 1988, Hakeem Jeffries graduated from Midwood High School, a public school.

1992: Graduated from Binghamton University

In 1992, Hakeem Jeffries graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors, where he studied political science and became a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

1994: Earned Master of Public Policy degree

In 1994, Hakeem Jeffries earned a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy.

1997: Graduated from New York University School of Law

In 1997, Hakeem Jeffries graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law, where he was a member of the New York University Law Review and delivered the student address at Convocation.

1997: Roger Green Run for Public Advocate

In 1997, Jeffries criticized Green for inattentiveness to his constituents' needs and preoccupation with pursuing higher office after the incumbent had run for New York City Public Advocate.

1998: Joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

In 1998, Hakeem Jeffries started in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

2000: Challenging Roger Green in Democratic Primary

In 2000, while a lawyer at Paul Weiss, Jeffries challenged incumbent assemblyman Roger Green in the Democratic primary, criticizing Green for inattentiveness to his constituents' needs. Jeffries lost the primary.

2002: Loss in Primary Election

In 2002, Jeffries lost the primary election. During post-census redistricting, Jeffries's home was drawn one block outside of Green's Assembly district.

2002: Redistricting of District

The 2002 redistricting left Jeffries unable to challenge Green in the 2004 Democratic primary.

2004: Became corporate litigator for Viacom and CBS

In 2004, Hakeem Jeffries became a corporate litigator for television companies Viacom and CBS, where he worked on the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy among other matters.

2004: Green's Resignation and Renomination

In 2004, after Sheldon Silver and Democratic leadership forced Green to resign after he pleaded guilty to billing the state for false travel expenses, Green was renominated unopposed.

2004: Redistricting Complicates Path

In 2004, redistricting complicated Jeffries's path and left him unable to challenge Green in the Democratic primary.

2006: Election to the Assembly

In 2006, Jeffries ran for the 57th district again and won the Democratic primary, defeating Bill Batson and Freddie Hamilton with 64% of the vote and defeated Republican nominee Henry Weinstein in the general election after Green retired.

2007: Elected to New York State Assembly

In 2007, Hakeem Jeffries was elected to the New York State Assembly for a Brooklyn district, where he served until 2012 and introduced over 70 bills.

2007: Endorsed Barack Obama

In 2007, while in his first term in the State Assembly, Hakeem Jeffries endorsed and supported Barack Obama for president, becoming one of Obama's earliest supporters in Hillary Clinton's home state.

2008: Reelection to the Assembly

In 2008, Jeffries was reelected to the Assembly, defeating Republican nominee Charles Brickhouse with 98% of the vote.

2010: Stop-and-Frisk database bill signed into law

In 2010, Governor David Paterson signed a Stop-and-Frisk database bill sponsored by Hakeem Jeffries and then-Senator Eric Adams, which banned police from compiling names and addresses of those stopped but not arrested during street searches.

2010: Reelection to the Assembly

In 2010, Jeffries was reelected to a third term in the Assembly, easily defeating Republican nominee Frank Voyticky.

January 2012: Announcement of Run for U.S. House

In January 2012, Jeffries announced that he would give up his Assembly seat to run for the U.S. House from New York's 8th congressional district.

June 11, 2012: Support Event for Jeffries's Campaign

On June 11, 2012, former mayor Ed Koch, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Councilman David Greenfield, Assemblyman Dov Hikind and other elected officials and community leaders held a joint event to support Jeffries's campaign.

2012: End of term in New York State Assembly

In 2012, Hakeem Jeffries's term ended in the New York State Assembly, where he had served since 2007.

2012: Support from Obama and Clinton

In 2012, President Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton together took a photograph with Jeffries weeks before his Congressional primary against Charles Barron, which was effectively used in campaign literature.

January 3, 2013: Swearing-In to Congress

On January 3, 2013, Jeffries was sworn in to the 113th Congress.

April 11, 2013: Introduced Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act

On April 11, 2013, Hakeem Jeffries introduced the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument Preservation Act (H.R. 1501; 113th Congress) to study the feasibility of designating the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn as a unit of the National Park System.

April 28, 2014: Prison Ship Martyrs's Monument Preservation Act passed by House

On April 28, 2014, the Prison Ship Martyrs's Monument Preservation Act, previously introduced by Hakeem Jeffries, was passed by the House.

July 15, 2014: Introduced Law School Clinic Certification Program Act

On July 15, 2014, Hakeem Jeffries introduced the "To establish the Law School Clinic Certification Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (H.R. 5108; 113th Congress)", which would establish the Law School Clinic Certification Program of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

November 2014: Election as Congressional Black Caucus Whip

In November 2014, Hakeem Jeffries was elected as the Congressional Black Caucus whip.

December 2014: "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" Protest

In December 2014, Jeffries led Congressional Black Caucus members in a "hands up, don't shoot" protest of killings of African-Americans by police.

December 2014: Visit to Eric Garner Killing Site

In December 2014, Jeffries visited the Staten Island site where Eric Garner was killed and met with Gwen Carr, Garner's mother, recorded by a CNN news crew.

December 20, 2014: NYPD detectives killed

On December 20, 2014, NYPD detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were killed in their patrol car in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Hakeem Jeffries's district.

2014: Reelection to the House

In 2014, Jeffries was reelected to the House without opposition.

December 31, 2014: Tax deadline for donations

December 31, 2014 was the original tax deadline for donations to organizations supporting families of deceased NYPD detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos.

April 1, 2015: Slain Officer Family Support Act signed into law

On April 1, 2015, President Obama signed the Slain Officer Family Support Act into law, which extended the tax deadline for people donating to organizations supporting the families of deceased NYPD detectives.

April 15, 2015: Extended tax deadline for donations

April 15, 2015, became the new tax deadline for making donations to organizations supporting the families of deceased NYPD detectives.

April 2015: Introduction of Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act

In April 2015, Jeffries stood with Gwen Carr to announce the introduction of the Excessive Use of Force Prevention Act of 2015, which would make chokeholds illegal under federal law.

June 2015: Effort to Remove Confederate Flag

In June 2015, after the shootings in Charleston, Jeffries led an effort to remove the Confederate flag for sale or display on National Park Service land.

2015: Considered running for Mayor

In 2015, Hakeem Jeffries was called upon by prominent African-American pastors to step into the 2017 Democratic primary for mayor, but he expressed "no interest" and wished to remain in Congress.

2016: Reelection to the House

In 2016, Jeffries faced no primary challenger and defeated a Conservative Party challenger with 93% of the vote to be reelected to the House.

2016: Russian Interference in US Presidential Election

Jeffries repeatedly called Trump's presidency "illegitimate" due to the Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election.

2017: Jeffries declines to run for mayor

In 2017, Hakeem Jeffries decided against running for mayor, choosing to remain a member of Congress.

May 22, 2018: First Step Act passed by the U.S. House

On May 22, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan First Step Act, with Hakeem Jeffries as a key sponsor.

November 28, 2018: Elected Chair of the House Democratic Caucus

On November 28, 2018, Hakeem Jeffries defeated Barbara Lee to become chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

December 21, 2018: First Step Act signed into law

On December 21, 2018, President Trump signed the bipartisan First Step Act into law; Hakeem Jeffries was a key sponsor of the bill.

2018: Music Modernization Act passed

In 2018, Hakeem Jeffries played a key role in the House passage of the bipartisan Music Modernization Act, which became law.

2018: Reelection to the House

In 2018, Jeffries faced no primary challenger and was reelected to the House with 94% of the vote.

January 3, 2019: Term as Chair of House Democratic Caucus began

On January 3, 2019, Hakeem Jeffries's term as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus began, making him the fifth-ranking member of the Democratic leadership.

2019: Vote in Favor of Equality Act

In 2019, Jeffries voted in favor of the Equality Act and urged Congress members to do the same.

January 15, 2020: Selected as House manager for Trump impeachment trial

On January 15, 2020, Hakeem Jeffries was selected as one of seven House managers presenting the impeachment case against Trump during his trial before the United States Senate.

January 22, 2020: Jeffries responds to protester during impeachment trial

On January 22, 2020, during the Trump impeachment trial, Hakeem Jeffries responded to a protester in the Senate gallery by quoting Psalm 37:28 before continuing with his testimony.

2020: Reelection to the House

In 2020, Jeffries faced no primary challenger and was reelected to the House with 84% of the vote.

2020: Remarks at AIPAC Conference

In 2020, Jeffries told an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference that "back home in New York City we consider Jerusalem to be the sixth borough".

2021: McCarthy set record

In 2021, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy set an 8.5 hour record. On July 3, 2025, Hakeem Jeffries broke this record.

November 2022: Elected House Democratic Leader

In November 2022, Hakeem Jeffries was elected unopposed as House Democratic leader for the 118th Congress, becoming the first African American to lead a party caucus in either chamber of Congress.

2022: Reelection to the House

In 2022, Jeffries faced no notable primary challenger and was reelected to the House with 71.63% of the vote in the general election.

January 3, 2023: Nominated for Speaker of the House

On January 3, 2023, at the start of the 118th Congress, the Democratic caucus unanimously nominated Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker of the House, receiving 212 votes on nearly every ballot.

May 29, 2023: Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 introduced

On May 29, 2023, Representative Patrick McHenry introduced the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

October 3, 2023: Jeffries announced House Democrats would vote yes on motion to vacate

On October 3, 2023, Hakeem Jeffries announced in a letter to colleagues that House Democratic leaders would vote “yes” on the motion to vacate the chair held by Kevin McCarthy.

October 2023: House Democrats nominated Jeffries again

In October 2023, House Democrats unanimously nominated Hakeem Jeffries again in the election after the successful motion to vacate McCarthy's speakership.

November 9, 2023: Rejection of Ceasefire Calls

On November 9, 2023, Jeffries rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, reiterating his support for Israel.

November 14, 2023: Speech at March for Israel

On November 14, 2023, Jeffries spoke at the March for Israel, condemning antisemitism and calling for the safe return of all hostages taken captive by Hamas, and a "just and lasting peace".

December 2023: Led House Democrats to pass National Defense Authorization Act

In December 2023, Hakeem Jeffries led the House Democratic Caucus in providing the majority of the votes to pass the National Defense Authorization Act.

2023: Fundraising for Democratic Candidates

In 2023, Hakeem Jeffries raised $113 million for Democratic candidates and campaign committees, which included $99 million for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

2023: Vote Against Removing Troops from Syria

In 2023, Jeffries voted against H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.

January 7, 2024: Agreed to spending deal

On January 7, 2024, Hakeem Jeffries and congressional leaders agreed to a $1.59 trillion topline spending deal for 2024, not substantially different from the deal McCarthy and President Biden had negotiated.

February 2024: Political Test After Santos Expulsion

In February 2024, after George Santos was expelled from Congress, Jeffries supported Tom Suozzi and helped raise $1 million for the special election to fill the vacancy.

April 2024: Vote for Military Aid Package

In April 2024, Jeffries voted for military aid package supplementals for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

May 8, 2024: Motion to vacate speakership introduced

On May 8, 2024, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced a motion to vacate Speaker Mike Johnson's speakership; Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic leaders stated Democrats would vote to table Greene's motion.

June 2024: Hochul Halts Congestion Pricing

In June 2024, Politico reported that New York governor Kathy Hochul indefinitely halted the implementation of congestion pricing in New York City in response to concerns raised by Jeffries.

July 31, 2024: Announced upcoming book

On July 31, 2024, Hakeem Jeffries announced he had penned an illustrated book, "The ABCs of Democracy", to be published on November 12, 2024.

August 2024: Jeffries on Congestion Pricing Pause

In August 2024, Jeffries reiterated that the ongoing pause of congestion pricing in New York City was "a reasonable thing to do at this moment."

October 2024: DCCC Fundraising Records

As of October 2024, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) under Jeffries's leadership consistently set fundraising records in the 2024 election cycle, raising $280.9 million.

November 12, 2024: Publication of "The ABCs of Democracy"

Hakeem Jeffries's illustrated book, "The ABCs of Democracy", will be published on November 12, 2024.

2024: Speech at the Democratic National Convention

In 2024, Hakeem Jeffries delivered a speech inspired by Psalm 30:5 at the Democratic National Convention, endorsed Kamala Harris for president, and compared Donald Trump to "an old boyfriend".

2024: Reelection to the House

In 2024, Jeffries faced no primary challenger and was reelected to the House with 75% of the vote.

July 3, 2025: Delayed House vote using magic minute

On July 3, 2025, during the 119th Congress, Hakeem Jeffries used his magic minute to delay a House vote on the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act", breaking House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's 8.5–hour record set in 2021.