Tito Jackson (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tito Jackson
Jackson in 2012
Member of the Boston City Council from District 7
In office March 2011 – December 2017
Preceded by	Chuck Turner
Succeeded by	Kim Janey
Personal details
Born	(1975-04-11) April 11, 1975 (age 50) South End, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts
Alma mater	University of New Hampshire (BA)
Occupation	Politician

Tito Jackson (born April 11, 1975) is an American politician. He served on the Boston City Council, representing parts of Roxbury, Dorchester, South End, and Fenway neighborhoods. In 2017, he ran for mayor of Boston but did not win. After leaving the City Council, Jackson worked in the ... industry. In 2022, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu appointed him to the city's Commission on Black Men and Boys. Jackson is known for his progressive political views.

Early Life and Education

Tito Jackson was adopted by Rosa and Herb Jackson. He grew up in the Grove Hall area of Roxbury. His father was a community activist, working to make his neighborhood better. His mother ran a day care from their home.

Jackson went to Brookline High School. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of New Hampshire. In 2018, he met his biological mother. She is featured in the book Common Ground by J. Anthony Lukas. This book won a Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and talks about the busing crisis in Boston.

Early Career

From 2004 to 2006, Jackson worked for a company called Alpharma. He helped market their medicines.

In 2007, Jackson worked for Governor Deval Patrick. He was the industry director for information technology. This role was part of the Governor's office that focused on housing and economic growth. Later, Jackson became the political director for Governor Patrick's successful re-election campaign in 2010.

Boston City Council Service

Tito Jackson served on the Boston City Council from 2011 to 2018.

Committee Work

During his time on the council, Jackson led several important committees. He was the chair of the Committee on Education. He also chaired the Special Committee on the Status of Black and Latino Men and Boys. Additionally, he was the vice chair of the Committee on Healthy Women, Families and Communities. He was also a member of six other committees, including those focused on housing, public safety, and jobs.

First Campaign in 2009

Jackson first tried to join the Boston City Council in 2009. He ran as an at-large candidate, meaning he would represent the whole city. However, he did not win this election.

Joining the Council in 2011

In 2011, Jackson ran in a special election for the 7th district City Council seat. This seat became open after Chuck Turner was removed from the council. Jackson won the primary election, finishing first among seven candidates. He then won the general election against Cornell Mills with a large majority of the votes.

Re-election and Redistricting

Jackson was re-elected for a full term in late 2011.

Changing District Maps

In 2012, the City Council had to redraw the district maps. Mayor Thomas Menino did not approve the council's first two map ideas. Jackson then suggested his own changes to the map. The City Council approved Jackson's map, and Mayor Menino also agreed to it.

Considering a Mayoral Run in 2013

People thought Jackson might run for mayor in 2013. At that time, Mayor Menino was expected to run again. In November 2012, Jackson said he would likely run for re-election to the council. However, he added that he "would consider" running for mayor if Menino decided to retire. The First Lady of Massachusetts, Diane Patrick, even encouraged him to consider it. Mayor Menino announced his retirement in March 2013. But Jackson decided not to run for mayor. In early April, he announced he would seek re-election to the City Council instead.

Later Council Work

Jackson was re-elected to the City Council in November 2013.

Commission for Black Men and Boys

In 2014, the City Council passed a plan by Jackson to create a commission for Black men and boys. Mayor Marty Walsh did not approve this plan. He said it would repeat efforts his administration was already making. He also believed the plan might go against the city's rules. A similar commission was eventually formed in 2021. The City Council passed a new resolution, and the acting mayor, Kim Janey, signed it into law in September 2021.

Looking into Boston's Olympic Bid

In 2015, Jackson pushed the group behind Boston's bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics to release their full plans. He wanted them to show the original bid without any parts hidden. After Boston's Olympic bid failed, the group No Boston Olympics supported Jackson for re-election. They praised him for "asking tough questions" to the Olympic bid leaders.

Other Important Actions

Jackson worked with Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins to hold a City Council meeting at a prison. This meeting happened in September 2015. It was the first time the Boston City Council held a hearing inside a prison. The goal was to find ways to reduce the number of people who return to prison after being released.

Re-election and Question 2

Jackson was re-elected again in 2015.

Against Question 2

Jackson strongly opposed 2016 Massachusetts Question 2. This was a ballot question that would have allowed more charter schools in Massachusetts. In August 2016, the City Council voted 11–2 to support a resolution by Jackson and Matt O'Malley. This resolution showed the council's opposition to the ballot measure.

2017 Mayoral Campaign

Mayoral campaign logo

Jackson in 2017

In January 2017, Tito Jackson announced he would run for Mayor of Boston. He ran against the current mayor, Marty Walsh. Jackson presented himself as the "progressive" candidate. He focused on issues like how much money people earn and the cost of housing.

In the first round of voting on September 26, 2017, Jackson received 29 percent of the votes. Mayor Walsh received 63 percent. Both moved on to the final election on November 7, 2017. Jackson focused on winning the votes of Black residents in the city.

In the final election, Jackson lost to Mayor Walsh. Jackson received 34 percent of the votes, while Walsh received 65 percent.

After the City Council

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Jackson at a 2020 George Floyd protest in Franklin Park

In March 2020, Jackson tested positive for COVID-19.

In the 2021 Boston mayoral election, Jackson supported Acting Mayor Kim Janey in the primary election. After Janey did not win the primary, he then supported Michelle Wu, who went on to win the general election.

On March 16, 2022, the Boston City Council nominated Jackson to serve on the new Boston Commission on Black Men and Boys. Mayor Wu had the power to choose seven of these nominees. On May 19, 2022, Mayor Wu announced that she would appoint Jackson to the commission. The commission has 21 members in total.

In October 2022, Jackson spoke to the Boston City Council. He supported a plan to raise the pay of city councilors by 20%. He said that after he was first elected, he almost lost his house due to foreclosure. The council approved the pay raise, but Mayor Wu did not. She supported an 11% increase, which was recommended by an advisory board, but not a 20% increase.

Images for kids

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  Jackson at the Maura Hennigan 2012 Boston Caribbean Carnival parade, with Ayanna Pressley, Elizabeth Warren, and Maura Hennigan

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  Jackson and fellow city councilor Ayanna Pressley (far right) attending Jamaica Plain Porchfest in 2015