Chokwe Antar Lumumba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chokwe Lumumba
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Lumumba in 2017
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| 53rd Mayor of Jackson | |
| In office July 3, 2017 – July 1, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Tony Yarber |
| Succeeded by | John Horhn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 29, 1983 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Ebony Lumumba |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Chokwe Lumumba (father) |
| Education | Tuskegee University (BA) Texas Southern University (JD) |
Chokwe Antar Lumumba (born March 29, 1983) is an American lawyer and leader. He served as the 53rd mayor of Jackson, Mississippi. He was mayor from 2017 until 2025. He was the seventh African-American person in a row to hold this important job. His father, Chokwe Lumumba, was also a mayor of Jackson before him.
Chokwe Antar Lumumba was first elected mayor in 2017. He won the Democratic Party's nomination by a lot. He then won the main election easily. He describes himself as a progressive and a socialist. He also calls himself a political revolutionary.
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Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi
Lumumba became mayor in June 2017. He won with a very high percentage of the votes. A magazine called The Nation wrote about his promise. He wanted to make Jackson "the most radical city on the planet." He shared this idea at a meeting in Chicago.
In the summer of 2018, Mayor Lumumba joined a special program. It was called the "Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative." This program helps city leaders learn how to run a city well. It also lets them learn from each other. Later that year, the City of Jackson received $1 million. This money was used to create art about making sure everyone has enough food. Lumumba was reelected as mayor in 2021. He won with almost 70% of the votes.
Helping the Jackson Zoo
In April 2018, the Jackson Zoo thought about moving. It was planning to leave its spot in West Jackson. Mayor Lumumba worked with many community groups. They wanted to keep the zoo in its current location. He felt that moving the zoo was not a good idea.
Mayor Lumumba took charge of the zoo directly. He approved $200,000 to fix it up. The zoo opened again in August 2020. It is now managed by the city.
Fixing Jackson's Water System
Jackson has faced big challenges with its water system. In 2019, a lot of untreated water went into the Pearl River. People were told not to swim or fish in the river. In 2020, after heavy rains, the system overflowed again. More untreated water went into the Pearl River.
In March 2021, Mayor Lumumba asked the state governor for help. He requested $47 million to fix the water system. In August 2022, he declared a water emergency. This happened when the city's largest water treatment plant stopped working. The problem was caused by old pipes and equipment. Many of Jackson's 153,000 residents lost clean drinking water. Others had very low water pressure.
On January 6, 2023, Mayor Lumumba shared good news. Jackson had secured money to fix and rebuild the water systems. Nearly $800 million came from a large federal bill. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) worked with the mayor. They helped manage the money and the project.
National Politics and Support
In February 2020, Mayor Lumumba supported Bernie Sanders. Sanders was running for president at the time. Bernie Sanders also supported Lumumba when he ran for reelection in 2021. In July 2021, Mayor Lumumba supported Nina Turner. She was running for a special election in Ohio. This election was important because it showed differences within the Democratic Party.
2025 Jackson Mayoral Election
In October 2024, Lumumba announced he would run for mayor again in 2025. In the first round of the Democratic primary election on April 1, 2025, he moved on to the next round. He faced Mississippi state senator John Horhn in a runoff election. On April 22, 2025, John Horhn won the runoff. This meant Lumumba would not serve a third term as mayor.
Personal Life
Chokwe Antar Lumumba is married to Ebony Lumumba. They have two children together. His wife, Ebony, is a professor at Jackson State University. She is also the head of the English, Modern Languages, and Speech Communication Department. She has held this position since 2020.
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