Stacey Abrams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stacey Abrams
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Abrams in 2021
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| Minority Leader of the Georgia House of Representatives | |
| In office January 10, 2011 – July 1, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | DuBose Porter |
| Succeeded by | Bob Trammell |
| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | |
| In office January 8, 2007 – August 25, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | JoAnn McClinton |
| Succeeded by | Bee Nguyen |
| Constituency | 84th district (2007–2013) 89th district (2013–2017) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Stacey Yvonne Abrams
December 9, 1973 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Relatives | Leslie Abrams Gardner (sister) |
| Education |
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Stacey Yvonne Abrams (born December 9, 1973) is an American leader who has worked as a politician, lawyer, and author. She is also known for her efforts to protect voting rights. From 2007 to 2017, she served in the Georgia House of Representatives, leading her party as the minority leader from 2011 to 2017.
As a member of the Democratic Party, Abrams started an organization called Fair Fight Action in 2018. This group works to make sure everyone has fair access to voting. Many people believe her work helped more citizens vote in Georgia, especially during the 2020 presidential election.
Abrams was the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia in 2018. She was the first African-American woman from a major political party to run for governor in the United States. She also ran for governor again in 2022. Beyond politics, Abrams is a successful author, writing both fiction and nonfiction books. Some of her books, like Our Time Is Now and Lead from the Outside, became best sellers. She also wrote a children's book called Stacey's Extraordinary Words.
Contents
Her Early Life and School Days
Stacey Abrams was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi. She is the second of six children born to Robert and Carolyn Abrams, who later became Methodist ministers. In 1989, when Stacey was in high school, her family moved to Atlanta, Georgia.
She was a very bright student and graduated as the top student from Avondale High School in 1991. Even at 17, while still in high school, she worked for a political campaign, first as a typist and then as a speechwriter.
In 1991, Abrams began attending Spelman College. She was encouraged to get involved in student government and became the student-government president in her senior year. She earned her degree in 1995, studying political science, economics, and sociology. During college, she also worked for Atlanta's mayor, Maynard Jackson.
In 1992, as a college freshman, Abrams participated in a protest at the Georgia Capitol. She joined others in protesting the Georgia state flag, which at the time included a symbol from the Confederate battle flag. This symbol had been added in 1956 as a way to oppose the civil rights movement. This event helped shape Abrams's understanding of politics.
After college, Abrams continued her education. She studied public policy at the University of Texas at Austin and earned a master's degree in 1998. She then went on to earn a law degree from Yale Law School.
Working as a Lawyer and Business Leader
After finishing law school, Stacey Abrams worked as a tax attorney at a law firm in Atlanta. She focused on areas like tax-exempt organizations and health care.
In 2010, while also serving in the Georgia General Assembly, Abrams helped start NOW Corp. This company provides financial services to other businesses. She also became the CEO of Sage Works, a company that offers legal advice.
Nourish and Now
Abrams co-founded Nourish, Inc. in 2010. It started as a drink company for young children. Later, it changed its name to Now and focused on helping small businesses with their invoices.
Rewiring America
In March 2023, Abrams joined Rewiring America as a senior counsel. This group works to encourage the use of electricity in homes and communities.
Her Time in Politics
In 2002, at 29 years old, Stacey Abrams was appointed as a deputy city attorney for the City of Atlanta.
Serving in the Georgia Legislature
In 2006, Abrams successfully ran for a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. She represented District 84 starting in 2007, and later District 89. These districts covered parts of Atlanta and DeKalb County.
In 2010, her fellow Democratic lawmakers chose her to be their minority leader. This meant she was the main spokesperson for her party in the House. As a leader, Abrams worked with Republican Governor Nathan Deal to improve the HOPE Scholarship program, which helps Georgia students pay for college. She also worked with Republicans on changes to the criminal justice system and on funding for public transportation.
In 2011, Abrams played a key role in stopping a large tax increase proposal in Georgia. She showed that the plan would actually raise taxes for most people, and the bill did not pass.
On August 25, 2017, Abrams left the General Assembly to focus on her campaign for governor.
Running for Governor in 2018
Abrams ran for governor of Georgia in 2018. She won the Democratic nomination, becoming the first African-American woman from a major party to run for governor in the U.S. She received support from many well-known figures, including former president Barack Obama.
The election was very close, and Abrams ran against Republican candidate Brian Kemp, who was then Georgia's Secretary of State. As Secretary of State, Kemp was in charge of elections and voter registration. This led to concerns about fairness during the election.
Many people, including Abrams, raised questions about the election process. They pointed to actions like the cancellation of many voter registrations and the temporary hold on thousands of new applications. Abrams and others believed these actions made it harder for eligible citizens to vote. An investigation by the Georgia attorney general's office later found no evidence of cybercrimes related to these claims.
Abrams lost the election by a small number of votes. She ended her campaign on November 16, 2018. She stated that while she could not win, she had serious doubts about the fairness of the election process. After the election, Abrams created Fair Fight Action. This organization works to protect voting rights and ensure fair elections for everyone. Fair Fight Action filed a lawsuit challenging Georgia's election practices. In October 2022, a federal judge ruled against Fair Fight on its remaining claims, finding that Georgia's voting rules did not violate the Constitution or the Voting Rights Act.
Her Role in National Politics
In January 2019, Stacey Abrams was chosen to deliver the response to the State of the Union address. She was the first African-American woman to give this important speech.
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Abrams decided not to run for the U.S. Senate in 2020, choosing instead to focus on her work to end voter suppression. In August 2019, she announced Fair Fight 2020. This group helps Democrats across many states build teams to protect voting rights.
During the 2020 presidential election, Abrams was considered as a possible running mate for Joe Biden. She was also one of the speakers at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. After Biden won the election, many news organizations recognized Abrams's efforts for significantly increasing Democratic votes and new voter registrations in Georgia. She also served as an elector for Georgia in that election.
Running for Governor Again in 2022
On December 1, 2021, Abrams announced she would run for governor of Georgia once more. She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. In the general election on November 8, 2022, she again faced Governor Brian Kemp. Abrams lost the election and conceded that night.
What Stacey Abrams Believes In
Stacey Abrams supports stronger rules about guns to help keep communities safe. She also believes that people should be able to verify their identity when voting. However, she has concerns that some strict voter ID laws might make it harder for certain groups, like minorities and low-income individuals, to cast their ballots. She opposes laws that would allow businesses to discriminate against people based on religious beliefs.
Education Ideas
Abrams wants to increase funding for public education. She does not support using public money for private school vouchers. Instead, she believes in making public schools better. Her ideas include having smaller class sizes, more school counselors, better pay for teachers, and expanding early childhood education programs.
Health Care Plans
A top priority for Abrams is expanding Medicaid. This program helps provide health care to low-income residents. She believes this expansion would improve access to health care and help rural hospitals stay open. She also developed a plan to address Georgia's high maternal mortality rate, which focuses on improving health for mothers.
Her Books and Writing
Outside of her political work, Stacey Abrams has a successful career as a writer. Before 2021, she published eight fiction books using the pen name Selena Montgomery. Her legal thriller, While Justice Sleeps, was released in May 2021 under her real name. This book is being adapted into a television series.
In 2025, she released another thriller called Coded Justice, which explores themes of artificial intelligence. This book is part of her Avery Keene series.
Abrams has also written nonfiction books. Two of them, Our Time Is Now and Lead from the Outside, became New York Times best sellers. In December 2021, she released a children's book titled Stacey's Extraordinary Words.
In April 2025, a book by Abrams, Our Time Is Now, was among several removed from the U.S. Naval Academy library. This decision was made under a U.S. President's executive order about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Awards and Recognitions
Stacey Abrams has received many honors for her work. In 2012, she received the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award, which recognizes young elected officials who make a big difference. Governing Magazine named her a Public Official of the Year in 2014. She was also recognized as one of the "100 Most Influential Georgians" by Georgia Trend for several years.
EMILY's List gave Abrams the first Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award in 2014. She was also named one of the "11th most influential African American aged 25 to 45" by The Root in 2014, rising to first place in 2019. She received awards from various organizations for her public service and legislative work.
Abrams is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She also received national honors from the Harry S. Truman Foundation, including the Stevens Award for Outstanding Legal Contributions.
In 2001, Ebony magazine named Abrams one of "30 Leaders of the Future." She was also recognized by Georgia Trend and the Atlanta Business Chronicle for being a top leader under 40.
For her peaceful efforts to encourage voting, Abrams was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. In 2021, Time magazine included her in its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Abrams was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance in 2021 for her voice work on an election-themed episode of Black-ish. In 2025, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Other Important Work
Abrams has served on the boards of many organizations, including the Center for American Progress and the Gateway Center for the Homeless. She has also traveled to many countries for policy work and is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Abrams was featured in All In: The Fight For Democracy, a documentary about challenges to voting in the United States. In the film, she shares her family's experiences with voting and discusses concerns about the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial campaign.
She also appeared as an actor in the season 4 finale of Star Trek: Discovery, playing the president of United Earth. Since August 2024, Abrams has hosted her own podcast, Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, through Crooked Media.
In April 2023, Howard University announced that Abrams was appointed to a special leadership position focused on race and Black politics.
New Georgia Project
In 2013, Abrams founded the New Georgia Project. This organization aimed to encourage, register, and empower groups that traditionally have not had a strong voice in politics. The New Georgia Project later faced issues with following campaign finance rules, leading to a fine, and eventually closed its operations in October 2025.
About Her Personal Life
Stacey Abrams is one of six children. Her siblings include U.S. district judge Leslie Abrams Gardner.
In 2018, Abrams openly discussed her personal finances, including taxes and debts, and worked to resolve them. She completed payments for her back taxes and other outstanding debts in 2019.
Books
- Minority Leader: How to Lead from the Outside and Make Real Change (2018)
- Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America (2020)
- While Justice Sleeps (2021)
- Stacey's Extraordinary Words (2021)
- Coded Justice (2025)
Romance Novels (as Selena Montgomery)
Stacey Abrams authored eight novels under the pen name Selena Montgomery.
- Rules of Engagement (2001)
- The Art of Desire (2002)
- Power of Persuasion (2003)
- Never Tell (2004)
- Hidden Sins (2006)
- Secrets and Lies (2006)
- Reckless (2009)
- Deception (2009)
See also
In Spanish: Stacey Abrams para niños
