James T. Meeks (born August 4, 1956) is a Baptist minister and past member of the
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the ...
, who represented the 15th district from 2003 to 2013. While a Senator, he chaired the
Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. He briefly campaigned for mayor of Chicago in the
2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
and
2011 election, before dropping out of the race both times. He subsequently become a leading figure in the campaign to oppose
same-sex marriage in Illinois
Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in Illinois since a law signed by Governor Pat Quinn on November 20, 2013 took effect on June 1, 2014. Same-sex marriage legislation was introduced in successive sessions of the Illinois General Asse ...
.
Meeks was appointed chair of the
Illinois State Board of Education
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) administers public education in the state of Illinois. The State Board consists of nine members who are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. Board members serve four-year terms, wit ...
by Governor
Bruce Rauner
Bruce Vincent Rauner (; born February 18, 1956) is an American businessman, venture capitalist, and politician who served as the 42nd governor of Illinois from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he had a decades-long career in inves ...
and took office January 21, 2017. He succeeded
Gery Chico
Gery J. Chico ( ; born August 24, 1956) is an American politician, lawyer, public official and former Democratic primary candidate to become the U.S. Senator from Illinois.
Chico served as the Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley from 1992 t ...
who had resigned the previous week.
Early life
James T. Meeks was born August 4, 1956, to parents who came to Chicago as part of the
Great Migration.
[Randall Herbert Balmer, ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition'', Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 444] Meeks was raised in
Englewood, near West 64th Street and South Laflin Street.
After graduating from
Harper High School, Meeks continued his education at
Bishop College
Bishop College was a historically black college, founded in Marshall, Texas, United States, in 1881 by the Baptist Home Mission Society. It was intended to serve students in east Texas, where the majority of the black population lived at the ...
in
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, where he earned a degree in Religion and Philosophy.
Ministry
In 1980, he became pastor of Beth Eden Baptist Church in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. In 1985, Meeks, still pastor of Beth Eden Baptist Church, shared the vision of founding a new church in a sermon.
[Monica Davey]
AT THE CROSSROADS: A NEIGHBORHOOD, A CHURCH AND A PASTOR
chicagotribune.com, USA, April 6, 1999 After a meeting with 205 members that same day, he founded
the
Salem Baptist Church
Salem Baptist Church is located at 3131 Lake Street in North Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded in 1922, it has played important roles in the history of African Americans in Omaha, and in the city's religious community. Church leadership ...
.
The new congregation held its first services January 20, 1985 at 8201 South Jeffrey Boulevard and remained at this location for five-years.
In 2005, he inaugurated the ''House of Hope'', a 10,000-seat facility. The venue has of usable space.
In 2023, he stepped down as senior pastor. In his post-minister life, he has become a non-profit, affordable housing developer in Kensington.
Political career
In 2002, Meeks became the first state senator to be elected as an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
. He won re-election in 2006 as a Democrat. In November 2011, he announced that he would not seek reelection when his current term ended in January 2013.
In 1998, Meeks led a movement to "dry up" Roseland Community by collecting votes to close 26 liquor stores. He also created a mentoring program called "It Takes a Village
" which provides support and assistance to pregnant youth and young mothers.
Meeks was also concerned with issues of housing affordability. He sponsored a bill which would make permanent a 2003 Executive Order that established a task force to develop Annual Comprehensive Housing Plans to address critical housing issues. The bill focuses its attention on vulnerable groups, including those at risk of homelessness and low income people with disabilities.
Another bill sponsored by Meeks addressed law enforcement and racial profiling. The bill would allow police departments to apply for grants to purchase cameras for police cars. Meeks believes that cameras in police cars protects everyone involved in a traffic stop, arguing that it provides security for both the driver and the law enforcement officer, and that it may also help reduce instances of racial profiling.
Meeks was the chairperson of the Housing and Community Affairs Committee and Vice Chairperson of the Commerce and Economic Development Committee. Additionally, he was a member of the Senate Commerce; Appropriations I; Education; Higher Education; and Senate Education Funding Reform Committees.
During his speech supporting the removal of
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich ( ; born December 10, 1956), often referred to by his nickname "Blago", is an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Blagojevich previously worked ...
from office, Meeks reprised the governor's now-infamous quote about
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
's Senate seat, saying, "We have this thing called impeachment and it's bleeping golden, and we've used it the right way."
Meeks has been a leading and outspoken figure in the 2013 campaign to stop
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
legalization in Illinois.
Education reform
In fall 2008, he announced a
boycott
A boycott is an act of nonviolent resistance, nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organisation, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for Morality, moral, society, social, politics, political, or Environmenta ...
of the
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, in Chicago, Illinois, is the List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment, fourth-large ...
, urging his congregants and people from other churches to keep their children home until
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
inner-city schools received more funding from
Springfield.
Meeks pointed out that at
New Trier High School
New Trier High School (, also known as New Trier Township High School or NTHS) is a public four-year high school whose main campus for sophomores through seniors is in Winnetka, Illinois, United States, with a campus in Northfield, Illinois, for ...
in
Winnetka, thousands of dollars more are spent on each student, compared to Chicago Public Schools, where the population is mostly
minorities
The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...
from low-income homes.
Over a thousand students met outside
New Trier High School
New Trier High School (, also known as New Trier Township High School or NTHS) is a public four-year high school whose main campus for sophomores through seniors is in Winnetka, Illinois, United States, with a campus in Northfield, Illinois, for ...
in the suburban
North Shore to protest. The boycott ended after two days when governor
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich ( ; born December 10, 1956), often referred to by his nickname "Blago", is an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Blagojevich previously worked ...
said he would not with Meeks during a boycott.
In 2009 and 2010, Meeks worked to pass opportunity scholarships for children in Chicago's worst-performing public schools. This effort was supported by a bipartisan coalition of legislators and outside groups such as the
Illinois Policy Institute
The Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) is a free market nonprofit think tank based in Chicago. Founded in 2002, it is active in the areas of education policy, pension policy, and state budget issues. IPI advocates for smaller government and lower t ...
.
In 2015, he was elected chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education, serving until 2019.
Controversy
In November 2010, in an interview on the radio station
WVON
WVON (1690 AM "The Voice of the Nation", originally "Voice of the Negro") is a radio station serving the Chicago market, which airs an African-American-oriented talk format. WVON is operated by Midway Broadcasting Corporation via a local mark ...
, Meeks advocated that only African Americans should be qualified for city contracts designated for minorities and women. During the conversation, he stated, "The word 'minority' from our standpoint should mean African American. I don't think women, Asians and Hispanics should be able to use that title. That's why our numbers cannot improve — because we use women, Asians and Hispanics who are not people of color, who are not people who have been discriminated against". He later retracted his statement by saying he would only forbid white women if elected mayor. He told television station
WFLD
WFLD (channel 32) is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is owned and operated by the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox network through its Fox Television Stations division alongside Gary, Indiana–licensed WPWR-TV (channe ...
, "I don't believe white women should be considered in that count ….You have white women in the category. They receive contracts. Then, white men receive contracts. Where does that leave everybody else"? The next day, Meeks released a written statement further elucidating his comments. It stressed that "all minority- and women-owned businesses" are entitled to their "fair share" of city contracts.
Personal life
Meeks and his wife Jamell live in Chicago, Illinois and have four children: Jamie, Janet, Trent (Christina), and Jasmine, and one granddaughter and a grandson
References
External links
Illinois General Assembly - Senator James Meeks (D) 15th Districtofficial IL Senate website
BillsCommittees
Project Vote Smart - Senator James T. Meeks (IL)
profile
*''Follow the Money'' – James T Meeks
200620042002
campaign contributions
Illinois State Senate Democrats - Senator James T. Meeks
profile
Salem Baptist Church of Chicago
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meeks, James
1956 births
Living people
African-American state legislators in Illinois
Baptist ministers from the United States
Bishop College alumni
Illinois Democrats
Illinois independents
Illinois state senators
Politicians from Chicago
Chairs of the Illinois State Board of Education
21st-century African-American politicians
20th-century African-American politicians
21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly