History of Ras Baraka in Timeline

Ras Baraka is an American politician, author, and educator currently serving as the 40th mayor of Newark, New Jersey. A Democrat, he was first elected in 2014 and subsequently re-elected in 2018 and 2022. Baraka's work also includes writing and teaching, demonstrating his commitment to both political leadership and community development.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

April 9, 1970: Ras Baraka's Birth

On April 9, 1970, Ras Jua Baraka was born. He is an American politician, author, and educator who became the 40th mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

Others born on this day/year

1990: Highest Homicide Total Since 1990

In 2013, there was a surge of violence leading to 111 homicides which was the highest since 1990.

1992: Baraka Edits "In the Tradition: An Anthology of Young Black Writers"

In 1992, Ras Baraka edited the book "In the Tradition: An Anthology of Young Black Writers".

1994: Baraka's First Mayoral Campaign

In 1994, Ras Baraka ran his first campaign for mayor at the age of 24.

1994: Newark Public Schools Under State Control

In 1994, the Newark Public Schools system was placed under state control.

1998: Baraka Featured on Lauryn Hill's Album

In 1998, Ras Baraka was featured on Lauryn Hill's album, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill", as the narrator of several interludes. He also recorded the intro to The Fugees' second album, "The Score".

2002: Baraka Became Newark Municipal Council Member

In 2002, Ras Baraka became a Newark Municipal Council member and was appointed deputy mayor.

2003: Baraka dedicates book of poems to sister

In 2003, Baraka dedicated his collection of poems "Black Girls Learn Love Hard" to his late sister, Shani Baraka, who had been fatally shot.

November 2005: Baraka Voted to Complete Council Term

In November 2005, Ras Baraka was voted to complete the term vacated by the deceased Councilmember-at-Large Donald Kofi Tucker.

2006: Baraka Ends Council Member Tenure

In 2006, Ras Baraka concluded his tenure as a Newark Municipal Council member.

2007: Baraka Becomes Principal of Central High School

In 2007, Ras Baraka became the principal of Central High School.

2008: Foreclosures Begin

Beginning in 2008, 6,810 homes were foreclosed in Newark by mid-2013.

May 2010: Baraka Defeats Oscar James II

In May 2010, Ras Baraka defeated then-councilman Oscar James II in a contested election. This election was documented on the Sundance reality television series "Brick City".

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2010: Zuckerberg Donates to Newark School System

In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg donated $100 million to the Newark school system through his foundation StartUp Education.

2010: The 2010 United States foreclosure crisis

In 2010, Newark homes were partially financed by underwater mortgages, partially as a result of the 2010 United States foreclosure crisis.

August 2013: Council Members Back Baraka's Mayoral Candidacy

In August 2013, fellow council members Mildred C. Crump and Ronald C. Rice formally backed Ras Baraka's candidacy for the 2014 Newark mayoral election.

October 2013: Booker Resigns Mayoral Seat

In October 2013, Cory Booker resigned from his position as mayor of Newark after being elected to the United States Senate, leading to a special election in 2014 where Ras Baraka was ultimately elected as his successor.

October 2013: Baraka Introduced Crime Reduction Program

In October 2013, Ras Baraka introduced his program to deal with crime and gang violence in Newark, named the "Ras Baraka Blueprint to Reduce Crime and Violence in Newark".

December 2013: Communication Workers of America Endorses Baraka

In December 2013, the Communication Workers of America endorsed Ras Baraka.

2013: Home Values Lost

By mid-2013, homeowners in Newark lost roughly $1.8 billion in home values.

2013: City of Newark Budget Deficit in 2013

In 2013, Newark had a budget deficit of $30 million.

2013: Baraka Ends Tenure as Principal of Central High School

In 2013, Ras Baraka concluded his tenure as principal of Central High School.

February 2014: Baraka Receives Endorsements

In February 2014, Ras Baraka received the endorsement of former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.

February 2014: Report of Irregularities within Newark Watershed

In February 2014, a New Jersey State Comptroller report revealed irregularities and corruption within the Newark Watershed and Development Corporation.

March 2014: Baraka Calls for Audit of Newark Watershed

In March 2014, Ras Baraka called for a forensic audit of the Newark Watershed and Development Corporation.

April 2014: Court Rules City Must Fund Watershed Agency

In April 2014, a Superior Court judge ruled that Newark must continue to fund the Newark Watershed and Development Corporation during the dismantling process, despite city council protests.

May 13, 2014: Baraka Sworn in as Mayor of Newark

On May 13, 2014, Ras Baraka was sworn in as the 40th mayor of Newark, New Jersey, marking the start of his first term in office.

May 2014: Newark Granted Local Powers Over Budget and Finance

In May 2014, Newark was granted local powers over budget and finance for its schools, but the state retained the right to veto any action and appoint the superintendent.

May 2014: Resolution to Purchase Underwater Mortgages

In May 2014, Ras Baraka introduced a resolution adopted by the municipal council to purchase homes with underwater mortgages through eminent domain and refinance them.

May 28, 2014: Baraka Announces Transition Team

On May 28, 2014, Ras Baraka announced his transition team, which was headed by former mayor Kenneth Gibson.

June 2014: Anderson's Contract Renewed

In June 2014, State-appointed Superintendent Anderson's contract was renewed, despite calls from Baraka for his ouster.

July 1, 2014: Baraka Sworn In

On July 1, 2014, Ras Baraka was officially sworn in as the 40th mayor of Newark at a ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

August 2014: Baraka Considers Asking for Emergency Aid

In August 2014, Ras Baraka considered asking for emergency aid from the state due to a $30 million deficit in the city's 2013 budget and an anticipated $60 million deficit for 2014.

September 2014: Newark Auctions Properties and Receives Transitional Aid

In September 2014, the city of Newark auctioned foreclosed properties to raise funds and was awarded $10 million in transitional aid from the state's Department of Community Affairs.

2014: Homicides in 2014

As of June 30 in 2014, there had been 43 homicides in Newark.

2014: Model Neighborhoods Program Initiated

In 2014, Ras Baraka initiated a program called "Model Neighborhoods" intended to take a comprehensive approach to addressing the factors causing troubled neighborhoods.

2014: Baraka Runs in Newark Mayoral Election

In 2014, Ras Baraka ran in the Newark mayoral election against Shavar Jeffries.

2014: Meetings with Booker, Christie, and DiVincenzo

In 2014, shortly after winning the election, Ras Baraka initiated meetings with Cory Booker, Governor Chris Christie, and Essex Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.

2014: Valentine's Day Building Lot Sale

In 2014, the city of Newark initiated a Valentine's Day building lot sale in which married couples could purchase housing plots for $1,000, provided they built a house within 18 months.

2014: Model Neighborhood Initiative Started

In Fall 2014, Ras Baraka started the Model Neighborhood initiative, which increased police presence in troubled neighborhoods.

2014: Campaign Finance Rules Allegedly Violated

In the 2014 mayoral election, Ras Baraka and his campaign treasurer allegedly violated campaign finance rules in the 2014 mayoral election.

June 2015: Anderson Resigns as Superintendent

In June 2015, Cami Anderson resigned as the state-appointed superintendent of Newark's schools.

2015: Few Houses Built on Sold Lots

As of 2015, few houses had been built on the plots sold in the 2014 Valentine's Day building lot sale due to insufficient financing.

November 2017: Campaign Finance Complaint Issued

In November 2017, Ras Baraka and his campaign treasurer were issued a 28-count complaint by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, alleging they violated campaign finance rules in the 2014 mayoral election.

2018: Baraka Re-elected as Mayor

In 2018, Ras Baraka was re-elected as the mayor of Newark.

2019: Baraka's Marriage and Son's Birth

In 2019, Ras Baraka married political consultant Linda Jumah and they had a son, Jua Nyamekye Imamu Kofi Baraka.

2019: Baraka Releases Spoken Word Video

In 2019, Ras Baraka released the spoken word video titled "What We Want".

2019: Lead Pipe Replacement Effort Begins

In 2019, Ras Baraka's administration began a massive effort to replace lead water pipes in Newark.

2019: 51 Homicides in Newark

In 2019, the city of Newark recorded 51 homicides.

2020: 51 Homicides in Newark

In 2020, the city of Newark recorded 51 homicides.

2021: Lead Service Lines Removed

By spring of 2021, local officials in Newark had removed more than 20,000 lead service lines as part of the effort that began in 2019.

2022: Baraka Re-elected as Mayor

In 2022, Ras Baraka was re-elected as the mayor of Newark.

March 2023: Cultural Trade Agreement with Kailaasa

In March 2023, Ras Baraka invited representatives of Kailaasa, a self-proclaimed micronation, to Newark's City Hall to enter a "cultural trade agreement" and become sister cities; later revealed to be a scam.

February 19, 2024: Baraka Announces Gubernatorial Run

On February 19, 2024, Ras Baraka announced his candidacy for governor of New Jersey in the 2025 election.

May 2025: Arrest at ICE Detention Center

In May 2025, Ras Baraka was arrested and detained at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Delaney Hall where he had been protesting and opposing the facility several times beforehand.