Kwanza Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kwanza Hall
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th district |
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| In office December 3, 2020 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | John Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Nikema Williams |
| Member of the Atlanta City Council from the 2nd district |
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| In office 2005–2017 |
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| Preceded by | Debi Starnes |
| Succeeded by | Amir Farokhi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 1, 1971 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Kwanza Hall was born on May 1, 1971. He is an American politician and businessman. He briefly served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th congressional district. Before that, he was a member of the Atlanta City Council for the 2nd district. He was first elected to the City Council in 2005 and won re-election in 2009 and 2013. He represented many neighborhoods in Atlanta, including Atlantic Station, Downtown, and Midtown.
In 2017, Kwanza Hall ran for mayor of Atlanta. He did not win, but he supported Keisha Lance Bottoms in the final election round. In 2018, he worked as a senior political advisor for her administration. Later, he became the director of development for Procter Creek. In 2020, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election. This election was held after the death of Congressman John Lewis. Hall won the runoff election on December 1, 2020. He was sworn in two days later and served for one month.
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Early Life and Schooling
Kwanza Hall was born and grew up in Atlanta. He went to Benjamin E. Mays High School. After high school, Hall attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He studied political science there. He left MIT during his last year of college.
Early Career and Public Service
Before he was elected to public office, Hall worked for the government in Fulton County. He also worked as a vice president for GoodWorks International. This company helped with human rights and public service. It was co-chaired by Andrew Young, a famous civil rights leader. Later, Hall became a director at MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc.
In 2002, Hall was elected to the Atlanta Board of Education. He served on the school board for three years. During this time, he worked to help all students succeed. He also helped make changes that improved test scores in Atlanta Public Schools.
Hall was elected to the Atlanta City Council in 2005. He represented District 2. He was re-elected in 2009 and again in 2013. One important project he worked on was the Atlanta Beltline. This project turned old railway lines into parks and trails. Hall also focused on improving communities. He worked on land use, saving historic places, and building new areas in a way that helps the environment.
Running for Atlanta Mayor in 2017
Kwanza Hall decided to run for mayor of Atlanta in January 2017. During his campaign, he talked about important issues. These included making the city safer, improving transportation, and making housing more affordable. Hall finished seventh out of 12 candidates in the election.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Election to Congress
2020 Special Election for Georgia's 5th District
After Congressman John Lewis passed away, Kwanza Hall decided to run for his seat. This was a special election held in September 2020. Hall came in first place in the first round of voting. However, he did not get more than half of the votes. So, he had to go to a runoff election. The runoff was against Robert Michael Franklin Jr.. Hall won the runoff election on December 1, 2020. He then served the last month of John Lewis's term in Congress.
After His Time in Congress
In 2022, Hall ran for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. He finished first in the Democratic primary election. But he lost the runoff election to Charlie Bailey. On November 4, 2022, Hall supported Republican Governor Brian Kemp for re-election. He was one of a few Democrats who supported a Republican in that race.
Personal Life
Kwanza Hall is divorced. He lives in the Martin Luther King Historic District in Atlanta.
See also
