Hakeem Jeffries
Birth Name: Hakeem Sekou Jeffries
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 4, 1970
Ethnicity:
*75% African-American
*25% Portuguese
Hakeem Jeffries is an American politician and corporate lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been House Minority Leader, and Leader of the House Democratic Caucus, both, since January 3, 2023, and a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, since January 3, 2013.
He is the son of Laneda, a social worker, and Marland Jeffries, a state substance-abuse counselor. His uncle is political scientist and historian Leonard Jeffries, who is Chair of Black Studies at the City College of New York, part of CUNY. He grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. He is married to social worker Kennisandra Arciniegas, with whom he has two children. Hakeem is a Baptist.
Hakeem’s paternal grandfather was named Leonard Jeffries. Leonard was born in Georgia.
Hakeem’s paternal grandmother was named Leola Smith. Leola was born in Virginia.
Hakeem’s maternal grandfather was Walter Pina Gomes (the son of Manuel Gomes and Rose Pina).
Hakeem’s maternal grandmother was Nellie Cephas (the daughter of Frank Cephas and Mattie Carter).
Source: Genealogy of Hakeem Jeffries – https://www.geni.com
Interesting how he’s never mentioned – nor has it ever been mentioned – that his maternal grandfather was Portuguese or Portuguese descent. Might need corroborate this with another source.
Heh, looks like his mother’s name is Laneda Rashida Gomes, but can’t connect her to the parents listed here.
https://www.nytimes.com/1967/01/19/archives/miss-francies-cephas-plans-a-june-wedding.html
His maternal grandfather was from California.