Jack Jackson Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Jackson Jr.
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| Member of the Arizona Senate from the 2nd district |
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| In office January 10, 2011 – July 1, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Albert Hale |
| Succeeded by | Carlyle Begay |
| Member of the Arizona House of Representatives from the 2nd district |
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| In office January 12, 2003 – January 10, 2005 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | Navajo Nation, Arizona |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Window Rock, Arizona |
Jack C. Jackson Jr. is an American lawyer and politician from Arizona. He is a member of the Navajo Nation. As a Democrat, he served in the Arizona Senate. He represented the state's 2nd district in northern Arizona from 2011 until July 2013. He left this role to work for the U.S. Department of State.
Before that, he was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives. He served there from January 2003 to January 2005. His father, Jack C. Jackson Sr., also served in the Arizona House until 2004. They were the first father and son to serve in the state legislature at the same time. In 2004, Jack Jackson Jr. decided not to run for a second term in the House.
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Early Life and Education
Jack C. Jackson Jr. was born on the Navajo Nation. His family background is important to his identity. He was born into his mother's Tó’áhaní (Near The Water) clan. He was born for his father's Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House) clan. His maternal grandfather was from the Tábaahá (Water’s Edge) clan. His paternal grandfather was from the Áshiihí (Salt) clan. These clans are traditional parts of Navajo culture.
Studying Law and Advocacy
Jackson Jr. went to college and then earned a law degree. He received his J.D. degree from Syracuse University College of Law in New York in 1989. A J.D. degree is what lawyers earn to practice law. After finishing law school, he moved to Washington, D.C. There, he started his career working to support Native American rights and interests. This work is called political advocacy.
Working in Government and Politics
Advocating for Native American Tribes
When Jackson moved to Washington, D.C., he worked for tribal governments and organizations. His main job was to represent them to the United States federal government. The federal government makes laws for the whole country. He started as a Legislative Associate. This means he helped with laws. Later, he became the Deputy Director for the Navajo Nation Washington Office.
Jackson also worked for other important groups. He was a Legislative Analyst at the National Indian Education Association. He also served as the Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Congress of American Indians. In total, he worked in Washington for 12 years. In April 2000, he was appointed to President Bill Clinton’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. This council advises the President on health issues.
Serving in the Arizona State Legislature
In 2002, Jackson Jr. successfully ran for the Arizona State House of Representatives. He served one term from January 2003 to January 2005. During this time, he worked alongside his father, Jack C. Jackson Sr. His father served in the Arizona State Legislature from 1985 to 2004. They made history as the first father and son to serve at the same time in the Arizona State Legislature.
In 2005, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano appointed Jackson to a new role. He became the Executive Director of the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs. This office helps Arizona's 22 Indian Nations and Tribes. That same year, Jackson also started a campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives. He ran for a seat in Arizona's 1st congressional district. In March 2006, he decided to stop his campaign. He felt he could not raise enough money to compete against the person already holding the seat.
Returning to the Arizona Senate
In 2010, Jackson Jr. ran for the Arizona Senate in Legislative District 2. He won the August Democratic primary election. He did not have any opponents in the general election. This meant he won the seat easily. In November 2010, Jackson took over his father's former Senate seat. This was in the 50th Arizona Legislature.
Due to changes in district lines in 2002, Arizona Legislative District 2 included several areas. It covered part of Flagstaff, the Navajo Nation, and the Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes.
In the 2012 election, Jackson ran without any opponents again. He was re-elected to represent the newly drawn Arizona Legislative District 7. This new district included all of the state's northern tribes. These were the Hualapai, Havasupai, Kaibab Paiute, Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni Pueblo tribes. It also included the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache reservations.
Other Important Roles
Jackson served on the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise Board from October 2007 to August 2014. During his time on the board, the Navajo Nation opened its first two casinos.
The Obama Administration appointed Jackson to serve on the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS again. He held this position from February 2010 to September 2013.
More recently, during the Biden Administration, he was appointed as a Tribal Liaison. This role is in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Labor. In 2024, he was appointed to the FCC. The FCC is a government agency that regulates communication.
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Jack Jackson Jr.
