{{short description|American politician}} {{Use American English|date=December 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Jack Jackson Jr. | honorific_suffix = | image = Jack Jackson Jr (cropped).jpg | state_senate = Arizona | district = 2nd | term_start = January 10, 2011 | term_end = July 1, 2013 | preceded = Albert Hale | succeeded = Carlyle Begay | state_house2 = Arizona | district2 = 2nd | term_start2 = January 12, 2003 | term_end2 = January 10, 2005 | preceded2 = | succeeded2 = | birth_date = | birth_place = Navajo Nation, Arizona | party = Democrat | website = }} '''Jack C. Jackson Jr.''' (Navajo) is an American attorney and politician from Arizona. A Democrat, he served in the Arizona Senate, representing the state's 2nd district in northern Arizona from 2011 until July 2013, when he left for an appointment with the U.S. Department of State.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/20130627jack-jackson-state-department.html|title=Help Center - the Arizona Republic|access-date=February 18, 2020|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042604/http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/20130627jack-jackson-state-department.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He is a former member of the Arizona House of Representatives, having served from January 2003 to January 2005.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Jack C. Jackson, Jr. |url=https://apps.azlibrary.gov/officials/Legislators/Person/706 |access-date=August 3, 2024 |website=Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records}}</ref>
His father, Jack C. Jackson Sr., served in the Arizona House until 2004, and they were the first father and son to serve together in the state legislature.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Krista |date=2023-03-07 |title=Jack C. Jackson Sr. passes at 90 |url=https://navajotimes.com/reznews/jack-c-jackson-sr-passes-at-90/ |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=Navajo Times |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2004, Jackson Jr. declined to seek a second House term.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Minard |first=Anne |date=2013-07-05 |title=Sen. Jack Jackson Jr Archives |url=https://www.tulalipnews.com/tag/sen-jack-jackson-jr/ |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=Tulalip News |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life and education== Jack C. Jackson Jr. was born on the Navajo Nation,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Navajo |date=2022-05-04 |title=People {{!}} Jackson serves as tribal liaison in U.S. Labor Department |url=https://navajotimes.com/ae/people/people-jackson-serves-as-tribal-liaison-in-u-s-labor-department/ |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=Navajo Times |language=en-US}}</ref> into his mother's ''Tó’áhaní'' (Near The Water) clan and born for his father's ''Kinyaa’áanii'' (Towering House) clan. His maternal grandfather is from the Tábaahá (Water’s Edge) clan, and his paternal grandfather is from the Áshiihí (Salt) clan.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Silversmith |first=Shondiin |title=What is the Navajo clan system? What it means to introduce yourself in Navajo |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2019/08/29/what-means-introduce-yourself-navajo-clan-system/2131456001/ |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref> His father, Jack Jackson Sr., had a long political career, serving in the State Legislature from 1985 to 2004.<ref name=":2" />
Jackson Jr. graduated from college and went on to earn his J.D. degree from Syracuse University College of Law in New York in 1989. That year, he moved to Washington, D.C., and began his career in Native American political advocacy.<ref name=":3" />
==Political career== Jackson moved to the capital, where he represented tribal governments and organizations, primarily before the federal government. Beginning as a Legislative Associate, he advanced to Deputy Director for the Navajo Nation Washington Office. Jackson also served as a Legislative Analyst at the National Indian Education Association and as the Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Congress of American Indians. In total, he worked in Washington for 12 years.<ref name=":1" /> In April 2000, Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala appointed him to President Bill Clinton’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.<ref name="gay"/>
In 2002, Jackson Jr. successfully ran for the Arizona State House of Representatives. He served one term from January 2003 to January 2005 in the 46th Arizona State Legislature.<ref name=":1" /> During this time, he worked alongside his father, Jack C. Jackson Sr., who served in the Arizona State Legislature from 1985 to 2004. They became the first father and son to serve simultaneously in the Arizona State Legislature.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jackforaz.com/bio.htm|title=Biography|work=Jack Jackson Jr. for Arizona|access-date=September 18, 2010|archive-date=August 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826195808/http://www.jackforaz.com/bio.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2015 LGBT Pride Month -- Jack C. Jackson, Jr. |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/lgbt/243189.htm |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=U.S. Department of State}}</ref>
In 2005, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano appointed Jackson as the Executive Director of the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs, an office that assists Arizona's 22 Indian Nations and Tribes.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Native American Heritage Month 2013: Jack Jackson, Jr. |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/nahm/2013/216153.htm |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=U.S. Department of State}}</ref> That year, Jackson also began his campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona's 1st congressional district, a seat held by the Republican Rick Renzi.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2005-10-21 |title=Jackson, Renzi raise thousands for 2006 U.S. House seat {{!}} Arizona Capitol Times |url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2005/10/21/jackson-renzi-raise-thousands-for-2006-us-house-seat/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |language=en-US}}</ref> In March 2006, he withdrew from the House campaign ahead of the September Democratic primary, citing his campaign's inability to raise sufficient funds to compete against the incumbent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sunnucks |first=Mike |date=March 9, 2006 |title=Jackson drops bid against Renzi |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2006/03/06/daily51.html |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arizona: 2006 Elections - Democratic Underground |url=https://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=358x1618 |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=www.democraticunderground.com}}</ref> Renzi retained his seat in the November election.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RENZI, Rick {{!}} US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives |url=https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/R/RENZI,-Rick-(R000574)/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=history.house.gov |language=en}}</ref>
In 2010, Jackson Jr. ran for the Arizona Senate in the Legislative District 2 and won the August Democratic primary, defeating three other candidates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kraker |first=Daniel |date=2010-08-25 |title=Jack Jackson Jr. wins election to state senate |url=https://www.knau.org/knau-and-arizona-news/2010-08-25/jack-jackson-jr-wins-election-to-state-senate |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=KNAU Arizona Public Radio |language=en}}</ref> He was unopposed in the general election since no Republican filed for the seat. As a result, in November 2010, Jackson reclaimed his father's former Senate seat in the 50th Arizona Legislature.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.azdailysun.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_35d64c5e-4d35-587a-a254-c0341ae556c1.html|title=Time to kick off fall campaigns |date=September 8, 2010|work=Arizona Daily Sun}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> Due to Arizona's 2002 redistricting, in 2010, Arizona Legislative District 2 included part of the city of Flagstaff, the Navajo Nation, and the Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-08-21 |title=Does District 2 satisfy Arizona's Voting Rights Act? |url=https://www.nhonews.com/opinion/does-district-2-satisfy-arizona-s-voting-rights-act/article_cb45dd0b-dfd5-5b62-9eea-6f170a9618b8.html |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=Navajo-Hopi Observer |language=en}}</ref>
In the 2012 election, Jackson ran unopposed.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012 |title=2012 Primary Election Full Listing |url=https://apps.azsos.gov/election/2012/Primary/FullListing.htm |access-date=August 4, 2024 |website=Arizona Secretary of State}}</ref> Subsequently, he was re-elected to represent the newly drawn Arizona Legislative District 7, which, in 2011, incorporated all of the state's northern tribes: Hualapai, Havasupai, Kaibab Paiute, Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni Pueblo, as well as the White Mountain and San Carlos Apache reservations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yurth |first=Cindy |date=December 15, 2011 |title=The battle for fair representation - Navajo Times |url=https://navajotimes.com/news/2011/1211/121511redistrict.php |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=navajotimes.com}}</ref>
Jackson served on the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise Board from October 2007 to August 2014.<ref name=":3" /> During his tenure on the board, Navajo Gaming established the Navajo Nations first two casinos.<ref name=":1" />
The Obama Administration appointed Jackson to serve again on the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, holding this position from February 2010 to September 2013.<ref name="gay" /> In support of same-sex marriage, he introduced legislation in 2013 to change the marriage provision in Arizona's state Constitution that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. However, the legislation failed due to a conservative state legislature.<ref name=":0" />
During the Biden Administration, he was appointed as a Tribal Liaison in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Labor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Navajo |date=2022-05-04 |title=People {{!}} Jackson serves as tribal liaison in U.S. Labor Department |url=https://navajotimes.com/ae/people/people-jackson-serves-as-tribal-liaison-in-u-s-labor-department/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Navajo Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/dinap/NAETC%20Meeting%20May2023/May%202024/NAETC%20Meeting%20Notes%200516%200517%202024%20with%20revision.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207013015/https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/dinap/NAETC%20Meeting%20May2023/May%202024/NAETC%20Meeting%20Notes%200516%200517%202024%20with%20revision.pdf |archive-date=February 7, 2025 |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=www.dol.gov |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2024, he was appointed to the FCC.
==Personal==
Jackson is gay.<ref name="gay">{{cite news|url=http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/08/25/gay-navajo-man-set-to-join-arizona-senate/|author=Denise Dison|title=Gay Navajo man set to join Arizona Senate|date=August 25, 2010|work=Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund|access-date=September 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927112346/http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/08/25/gay-navajo-man-set-to-join-arizona-senate/|archive-date=September 27, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> On October 11, 2008, in Del Mar, California, before the passage of Proposition 8, Jackson was married to db Bailey in a sunset ceremony.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/native-news/az-state-sen-navajo-still-pushing-for-same-sex-marriage-equality/|title=Az. State Sen. (Navajo) Still Pushing for Same-Sex Marriage Equality - Indian Country Media Network|website=indiancountrymedianetwork.com|language=en-US|access-date=February 17, 2018}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Arizona|Biography}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Jack Jr.}} Category:21st-century Native American politicians Category:Arizona state senators Category:American gay politicians Category:Native American LGBTQ people Category:LGBTQ state legislators in Arizona Category:Living people Category:Members of the Arizona House of Representatives Category:Native American state legislators in Arizona Category:Navajo lawyers Category:People from Window Rock, Arizona Category:Syracuse University College of Law alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Navajo leaders Category:Navajo born for the Towering House Clan Category:LGBTQ people from Arizona Category:Native American people from Arizona Category:21st-century members of the Arizona State Legislature