Jew Don Boney facts for kids

Jew Don Boney Jr. (born November 16, 1951) is a former leader in Houston, Texas. He was a member of the Houston City Council from 1995 to 2001. He represented District D, an area known for its African-American history. From 1998 to 2001, he also served as Mayor Pro Tem of Houston. This means he was like a vice-mayor, ready to step in if the mayor was away.

Boney also worked at Texas Southern University. He was the Associate Director of the Mickey Leland Center on World Hunger and Peace. This center works to solve problems like hunger and to promote peace around the world.

Working for Houston

Jew Don Boney Jr. was a member of the Houston City Council for six years. The City Council helps make important decisions for the city. These decisions affect things like roads, parks, and public safety. His work helped improve the lives of people in Houston.

Helping Countries Around the World

Jew Don Boney Jr. has traveled to more than 20 countries. He visited places like Mexico, England, Brazil, and many countries in Africa. He worked as an international trade facilitator. This means he helped different countries trade goods and services with each other.

He also worked to promote global peace and fight hunger. In 2002, he took part in a big meeting called the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Summit. Here, he discussed human rights issues. He was also a delegate, or representative, at a summit in Ghana, Africa. This meeting focused on issues important to people of African descent.

Boney worked with many African governments. He helped them create new global policies. One important project was helping to pass "The African Growth and Opportunity Act" (AGOA). President Bill Clinton signed this act into law. It created the first official trade relationship between the U.S. and Africa.

Boney helped Ethiopia become certified under AGOA. This meant Ethiopia could trade more easily with the U.S. In 2002, he led a trade mission to Ethiopia. He helped create a big food security project there. This project aimed to build a large farming business. It was planned to provide food for 100,000 people and create over 10,000 jobs.

A Champion for Justice

In the 1980s, Jew Don Boney Jr. became well-known for his activism. He helped organize a group called the Coalition to Free Clarence Brandley. This group included people from different backgrounds in Houston. They worked together to get international support for Brandley's release.

Clarence Brandley was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death. After spending ten years in prison, he was finally proven innocent in 1990. Boney said that helping to save a human being's life was the most important thing he ever did. His work was even shown in a movie called Whitewash: The Clarence Brandley Story.

Boney also spoke out after the terrible hate-crime killing of James Byrd, Jr. in Jasper, Texas in 1998. He stood up against injustice and hate.

Education and Family Life

Jew Don Boney Jr. is the son of J. Don Boney, an educator, and Clara Bernice Payne. He studied at Texas Southern University (TSU). He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication with high honors. He also received a Master of Arts in Communications from TSU. Later, he earned an Executive Masters of Public Administration from TSU's Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs. He is also a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum.

Boney has three adult children. He is married to Dorca Medina.