Jamaal Anthony Bowman is a U.S. Representative for New York's 16th congressional district, a position he has held since 2021. His district encompasses the southern part of Westchester County, including cities like Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, and Yonkers, along with a small section of the Bronx. Before entering politics, Bowman worked as an educator.
On April 1, 1976, Jamaal Anthony Bowman was born.
In 1989, Eliot Engel began serving as a member of the House of Representatives.
Jamaal Bowman earned a Bachelor of Arts in sports management from the University of New Haven in 1999.
In 2009, Jamaal Bowman founded the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action, a public middle school in the Bronx.
Bowman started a blog in 2011 where he promoted 9/11 conspiracy theories.
Bowman stopped updating his blog in 2014. After the content of his blog was reported on by The Daily Beast, he expressed regret over his posts promoting 9/11 conspiracy theories.
In 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ran a notable congressional campaign, which inspired Jamaal Bowman's own political aspirations.
On July 17, 2020, Jamaal Bowman won the Democratic primary with 55% of the vote.
In 2020, Jamaal Bowman defeated Eliot Engel in the Democratic primary, marking his entry into politics. He is also the founder and former principal of the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action. Following his election to Congress, he became a member of "The Squad," a group of progressive House Democrats.
In 2020, Jamaal Bowman faced Vedat Gashi, who was endorsed by Eliot Engel, in the Democratic primary and won with 54% of the vote. He then went on to win the general election with 64% of the vote.
Following the storming of the United States Capitol in January 2021, Jamaal Bowman introduced the Congressional Oversight of Unjust Policing Act (COUP Act). This act aimed to establish a commission to investigate the Capitol Police's handling of the events and to examine potential ties of some members to white nationalism.
In September 2021, Jamaal Bowman voted in favor of providing Israel with $1 billion in aid for its Iron Dome missile defense system, causing debate within the DSA.
On November 5, 2021, Jamaal Bowman was one of six House Democrats who voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act because it did not include the Build Back Better Act.
In 2021, Jamaal Bowman began serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 16th congressional district.
In 2022, Jamaal Bowman let his DSA membership expire.
In 2022, Jamaal Bowman was among 51 House Democrats to vote against the National Defense Authorization Act.
On July 18, 2023, Jamaal Bowman was one of nine progressive Democrats who voted against a non-binding resolution stating that Israel is not a racist or apartheid state.
On September 30, 2023, Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building, causing an evacuation. He claimed it was an accident.
In October 2023, a spokesperson confirmed that Jamaal Bowman's DSA membership had expired in 2022.
On October 25, 2023, Jamaal Bowman was one of nine progressive Democrats who voted against a resolution supporting Israel following the 2023 Hamas attack.
On November 17, 2023, Jamaal Bowman called reports of Israeli women being raped during the 2023 Hamas attack "propaganda" and a "lie".
On December 7, 2023, the House censured Jamaal Bowman for pulling the fire alarm incident.
In 2023, Jamaal Bowman was among 46 House Democrats who voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
On January 29, 2024, the liberal Israel lobby group J Street withdrew its endorsement of Bowman, citing concerns over his "framing and approach" regarding the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami stated that Bowman had "gone too far" in his rhetoric.
In March 2024, after being contacted by Politico, Bowman walked back his previous remarks where he called reports of Israeli women being raped during the 2023 Hamas attack "propaganda" and a "lie".
In May 2024, Jamaal Bowman rejoined the DSA and received an endorsement from its New York City chapter. This occurred as he faced a primary challenge from George Latimer, who had endorsements from pro-Israel lobby groups.
In May 2024, The Daily Beast reported that Bowman's personal YouTube account was subscribed to several fringe conspiracy channels, some of which he had subscribed to after being elected to Congress. Bowman denied any knowledge of the channels or their content.
Bowman issued an apology in June 2024 for his previous statements regarding the assault allegations, stating that he voted to condemn the violence after the U.N. provided additional evidence.