Profile Text
NEW YORK CITY – AUGUST 23, 2014: Jeffries. led by Al Sharpton, elected officials & members of Eric Garner’s family, thousands marched in Staten Island demanding justice for alleged police brutality, andykatz /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Hakeem Sekou Jeffries
Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 4, 1970
Ethnicity: *75% African-American *25% Cape Verdean
Hakeem Jeffries is an American politician and corporate attorney. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been House Minority Leader, and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus, both, since January 3, 2023; and a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, since January 3, 2013. He was also Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, from January 3, 2017 to January 3, 2019, and Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, from January 3, 2019 to January 3, 2023.
He is the son of Laneda, a social worker, and Marland Jeffries, a state substance-abuse counselor. His brother is history professor and author Hasan Kwame Jeffries. His uncle is political scientist and historian Leonard Jeffries, who is Chair of Black Studies at the City College of New York, part of CUNY. Hakeem grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He is married to social worker Kennisandra Arciniegas-Jeffries, with whom he has two children. Hakeem is a Baptist.
Hakeem’s paternal grandfather was named Leonard Jeffries. Leonard was born in Georgia.
Hakeem’s paternal grandmother was named Leola Smith. Leola was born in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Hakeem’s maternal grandfather was Walter Pina Gomes (the son of Manuel Gomes and Rose Pina). Walter was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and spent his career in the military. Manuel was born in Cape Verde. Rose was born in Massachusetts, to parents from Cape Verde. The family is listed as black on U.S. Censuses.
Hakeem’s maternal grandmother was Nellie Cephas (the daughter of Frank Cephas and Mattie Carter). Frank was born in Calvert, Maryland.
Sources: Family history of Hakeem Jeffries – https://megansmolenyak.com
Genealogy of Hakeem Jeffries – https://www.geni.com
Hakeem’s maternal great-grandparents, Manuel Gomes and Rose Pina, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org