Van Jones is a multifaceted American figure known for his work as a political analyst, media personality, lawyer, author, and civil rights advocate. His prominent roles include being a CNN host and contributor, a three-time New York Times bestselling author, and an Emmy Award winner. He is recognized for his insightful political commentary and advocacy for social justice.
September 20, 1968: Birth of Van Jones
Van Jones was born on September 20, 1968.
1983: Marc Andaya begins career with Oakland Police Department
Marc Andaya began his career as a police officer with the Oakland Police Department in 1983.
1986: Van Jones graduates high school
Van Jones graduated from Jackson Central-Merry High School in 1986.
August 1992: Van Jones becomes a communist
By August 1992, Van Jones became a communist after being deeply affected by the Rodney King trial.
1992: Van Jones moves to San Franscisco
Van Jones moved to San Francisco in 1992 to serve as a legal observer for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating and trial.
1993: Marc Andaya's record of misconduct
Between 1983 and 1993, Marc Andaya had a record of incidents of misconduct while he was a policeman with the Oakland Police Department.
1993: Van Jones graduates from Yale Law School
Van Jones graduated from Yale Law School with his Juris Doctor in 1993.
1995: Death of Aaron Williams
In 1995, Aaron Williams, an unarmed black man, died in police custody after fighting on the street with several officers, including officer Marc Andaya.
1995: Van Jones initiates the Bay Area PoliceWatch
In 1995, Van Jones initiated the Bay Area PoliceWatch, the region's only bar-certified hotline and lawyer-referral service for victims of police abuse.
1996: Campaign to fire officer Marc Andaya begins
Jones and PoliceWatch led a campaign starting in 1996 to gain the firing of officer Marc Andaya from the San Francisco Police Department.
1996: Van Jones founds the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Van Jones founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in 1996.
June 1997: Marc Andaya fired from the San Francisco Police Department
The San Francisco Police Commission voted to fire officer Marc Andaya in June 1997 for falsifying his application to the department.
1999: Van Jones leads campaign against Proposition 21
From 1999 to 2000, Jones led a campaign to defeat Proposition 21, which would increase "penalties for a variety of violent crimes and required more juvenile offenders to be tried as adults."
2000: Van Jones leads campaign against Proposition 21
From 1999 to 2000, Jones led a campaign to defeat Proposition 21, which would increase "penalties for a variety of violent crimes and required more juvenile offenders to be tried as adults."
2001: Van Jones and the Ella Baker Center launch the "Books Not Bars" campaign
In 2001, Jones and the Ella Baker Center launched the "Books Not Bars" campaign.
2003: Van Jones serves as Arianna Huffington's statewide grassroots director
During the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election, Jones served as Arianna Huffington's statewide grassroots director.
2003: Van Jones leads efforts to block construction of proposed "Super-Jail for Youth"
From 2001 to 2003, Van Jones led an effort to block the construction of a proposed "Super-Jail for Youth" in Oakland's Alameda County.
2004: Alleged Signing of 9/11 Petition
In 2004, Van Jones was alleged to have signed a petition by 911Truth.org that made controversial claims about the Bush administration's role in the 9/11 attacks, which Jones denied.
October 2005: Van Jones reflects on the Rodney King Trial
In October 2005, Van Jones gave an interview where he reflected on how the Rodney King trial impacted his political views.
2005: Van Jones co-founds Color of Change
Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Jones and James Rucker co-founded Color of Change, a Web-based grassroots organization to address Black issues.
2005: The Ella Baker Center expands its vision
In 2005 the Ella Baker Center expanded its vision beyond the immediate concerns of policing, declaring that "If we really wanted to help our communities escape the cycle of incarceration, we had to start focusing on job, wealth and health creation."
August 2008: Grassroots Marketing Success of "The Green Collar Economy"
In August 2008, Van Jones's book, "The Green Collar Economy," became a New York Times bestseller through a grassroots marketing campaign utilizing emails, phone calls, and online activism.
October 20, 2008: Launch of Oakland Green Jobs Corps
On October 20, 2008, the City of Oakland launched the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, a public-private partnership initiated by Van Jones to provide job training and support for careers in the new energy economy.
2008: Publication of "The Green Collar Economy"
In 2008, Van Jones published his first book, "The Green Collar Economy," which proposed solutions for economic and environmental issues.
February 2009: Controversial Speech at Berkeley
In February 2009, Van Jones gave a lecture at the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative where he made controversial remarks about Republicans, which resurfaced later and sparked criticism.
March 2009: Appointment as Special Advisor for Green Jobs
In March 2009, Van Jones was appointed as the Special Advisor for Green Jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, a role he accepted after initially declining.
July 2009: Color of Change Campaign Against Glenn Beck
In July 2009, Color of Change, an organization founded by Van Jones, launched a campaign urging advertisers to boycott Glenn Beck's show on Fox News after Beck's controversial remarks about President Obama.
September 5, 2009: Resignation from White House Position
On September 5, 2009, Van Jones resigned from his position as Special Advisor for Green Jobs, citing a "vicious smear campaign" and stating his desire to avoid being a distraction to the Obama administration.
September 2009: Controversial Speech Resurfaces
In September 2009, a video surfaced of Van Jones using strong language towards Republicans during a February 2009 lecture, leading to criticism and calls for his resignation.
2009: Van Jones serves as Special Advisor for Green Jobs
In 2009, Van Jones served as President Barack Obama's Special Advisor for Green Jobs.
2009: Keynote Speaker at Powershift 2009
In 2009, Van Jones served as a keynote speaker at Powershift 2009, highlighting his ongoing commitment to youth activism and environmental issues.
February 2010: Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress
In February 2010, Van Jones joined the Center for American Progress as a senior fellow, leading their Green Opportunity Initiative to promote clean energy and environmental restoration.
July 27, 2010: 911Truth.org Clears Jones's Name
On July 27, 2010, 911Truth.org issued a statement clarifying that Van Jones did not sign a petition suggesting the Bush administration's involvement in the 9/11 attacks, refuting previous allegations.
October 2, 2010: Speech at One Nation Working Together Rally
On October 2, 2010, Van Jones spoke at the One Nation Working Together rally in Washington, D.C., emphasizing the link between poverty and pollution and advocating for green jobs.
April 15, 2011: Keynote Speaker at Powershift 2011
On April 15, 2011, Van Jones delivered a keynote address at Powershift 2011 in Washington, D.C., the largest youth activism training in U.S. history, focusing on climate justice and underrepresented communities.
June 2011: Launch of Rebuild the Dream
In June 2011, Van Jones initiated the Rebuild the Dream campaign, a progressive movement envisioned as a counterpoint to the Tea Party movement and seeking to revitalize the American Dream.
June 23, 2011: Kickoff of Rebuild the Dream Campaign
On June 23, 2011, Van Jones, in collaboration with MoveOn.org, launched the Rebuild the Dream campaign, a progressive movement aimed at countering the Tea Party movement.
July 2011: "Contract for the American Dream" and House Meetings
In July 2011, the Rebuild the Dream campaign, spearheaded by Van Jones, unveiled its "Contract for the American Dream" and organized house meetings across the nation to engage citizens in progressive dialogue.
April 2012: Publication of "Rebuild the Dream"
In April 2012, Van Jones published his second book, "Rebuild the Dream," which became a New York Times bestseller, expanding on the themes of his progressive movement.
June 2013: Announcement as Co-host of CNN's "Crossfire"
In June 2013, Van Jones was announced as a co-host for the relaunched CNN political debate show, "Crossfire."
September 16, 2013: Debut as Co-host of CNN's "Crossfire"
On September 16, 2013, Van Jones debuted as a co-host of the revamped political debate show "Crossfire" on CNN.
October 2014: Cancellation of CNN's "Crossfire"
In October 2014, CNN's relaunched version of "Crossfire," which included Van Jones as a co-host, was canceled.
March 2015: Launch of #cut50 and Bi-Partisan Summit
Van Jones launched #cut50 in 2015, aiming to reduce the US prison population. He held a bi-partisan summit with Newt Gingrich in March 2015 to promote this cause.
November 2015: Alicia Keys Joins #cut50
In November 2015, Alicia Keys joined #cut50, amplifying the organization's message and advocating for criminal justice reform alongside Van Jones.
2015: Launch of #YesWeCode
In 2015, Van Jones launched #YesWeCode, an initiative aimed at teaching coding to 100,000 low-income children, showcasing his dedication to social change through technology.
April 21, 2016: Revelation of Prince's Support for #YesWeCode
On April 21, 2016, following Prince's death, Van Jones revealed the musician's significant but anonymous financial support for #YesWeCode, highlighting Prince's dedication to philanthropy.
November 2016: Commentary on the 2016 Election
Following Donald Trump's victory in November 2016, Van Jones provided commentary on CNN, labeling the result as a "whitelash" – a racist backlash against Obama's presidency.
2016: Launch of "The Messy Truth"
In 2016, Van Jones launched "The Messy Truth", a news documentary series, aiming to explore diverse political viewpoints.
2016: Magic Labs Media Produces Award-Winning "The Messy Truth"
In 2016, Van Jones's company, Magic Labs Media, produced "The Messy Truth" miniseries, which garnered a Webby Award.
2016: Celebrity Support for #cut50
In 2016, #cut50 received support from over 100 celebrities, including Amy Schumer, Steph Curry, and Edward Norton, who joined Van Jones in advocating for criminal justice reform.
2017: Premiere of "The Messy Truth with Van Jones"
In 2017, following the documentary series, "The Messy Truth with Van Jones," a studio discussion series, premiered on CNN.
May 2018: #cut50 Meets with Trump Administration
In May 2018, Van Jones and #cut50 members met with Jared Kushner and President Trump, discussing criminal justice reform and advocating for policy changes.
October 18, 2019: Defense of Tulsi Gabbard
On October 18, 2019, Van Jones publicly defended Tulsi Gabbard against Hillary Clinton's allegations of her being a Russian asset, calling for evidence and condemning baseless accusations.
2019: Launch of "The Redemption Project with Van Jones"
In 2019, Van Jones launched "The Redemption Project with Van Jones," a show centered around restorative justice, showcasing his commitment to criminal justice reform.
May 29, 2020: Comments on Race and the Central Park Incident
On May 29, 2020, Van Jones sparked controversy with comments on CNN about race and the Central Park birdwatching incident, suggesting even liberal white people harbor unconscious bias.
2020: Involvement in Trump's Police Reform Policy
Following George Floyd's murder and the rise of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, Van Jones consulted for the Trump administration on police reform, drawing criticism for potential conflicts of interest with his CNN role.
2020: Emmy Award for "The Messy Truth VR Experience"
Magic Labs Media won an Emmy Award in 2020 for "The Messy Truth VR Experience," showcasing the company's innovative approach to storytelling.
2021: Launch of "Uncommon Ground with Van Jones" Podcast
In 2021, Van Jones launched the "Uncommon Ground with Van Jones" podcast, offering a platform for dialogue and exploring diverse perspectives.