Ben Jealous

Ben Jealous
Name	Ben Jealous
Birth date	1963-01-18
Birth place	Harvey, Illinois
Alma mater	Columbia University; Balliol College, Oxford (Rhodes Scholar)
Occupation	Activist; Journalist; Nonprofit executive; Politician
Known for	Leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; 2018 gubernatorial campaign

Ben Jealous Benjamin Todd Jealous (born January 18, 1963) is an American civil rights leader, journalist, nonprofit executive, and political figure. He served as the youngest-ever national president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and later pursued elected office, including a notable campaign in the 2018 Maryland gubernatorial election. His work has involved advocacy, organizational leadership, and engagement with national and international figures and institutions.

Early life and education

Jealous was born in Harvey, Illinois, and raised in Pacific Grove, California and Oakland, California. He is the son of a biologist who worked on public health projects and a schoolteacher who taught in California. Jealous attended Stanford University for undergraduate study and later was selected as a Rhodes Scholar to study at Balliol College, Oxford, where he read for a degree tied to jurisprudence and social policy. He completed graduate study at Columbia University and began his early career in journalism and public advocacy, working in cities such as Oakland and Baltimore, Maryland.

Career in civil rights and nonprofit leadership

Jealous began his professional life as a reporter at outlets including the San Francisco Chronicle, where he covered local politics and social issues, and later transitioned to philanthropy and nonprofit management. He held leadership roles with organizations such as the Ford Foundation and regional foundations affiliated with philanthropy networks. In 2008 he was elected national president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, succeeding leaders connected to movements like the Civil Rights Movement; during his tenure he focused on voter mobilization, criminal justice reform, and economic equity, working with coalitions that included Color of Change, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and labor organizations such as the AFL–CIO. Jealous expanded NAACP engagement around issues linked to cases before the United States Supreme Court and initiatives in states including Mississippi, Florida, and North Carolina. After leaving the NAACP in 2013 he joined civic and impact-investing ventures and served as an executive at the Camelback Ventures-style organizations and partner programs tied to urban revitalization, collaborating with municipal leaders from cities like Detroit, Baltimore, and Atlanta.

Political career and campaigns

Jealous entered electoral politics as a Democratic candidate in Maryland. In the 2018 Maryland gubernatorial election he ran in the Democratic primary, aligning with progressive leaders and advocacy groups such as MoveOn, Our Revolution, and union locals associated with the Service Employees International Union. His campaign emphasized criminal justice, healthcare access, and economic inclusion, drawing comparisons to national figures including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and progressive members of the United States House of Representatives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for its populist orientation. Jealous secured the Democratic nomination for governor but was defeated in the general election by the incumbent coalition aligned with leaders from the Maryland Democratic Party and local constituencies. Post-campaign, he remained active in electoral reform debates and endorsed candidates in races for the United States Senate and state legislatures, working with groups focused on voting rights like the Brennan Center for Justice.

Policy positions and public advocacy

Jealous has advocated for expansive voting rights protections, including support for measures similar to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and opposition to restrictive laws promoted in states such as Texas and Arizona. On criminal justice, he supported alternatives to mass incarceration and policies akin to those advanced by advocates in the Sentencing Project and reform proponents in the United States Congress; he called for police accountability reforms paralleling proposals from leaders in cities like Minneapolis and Seattle. Jealous favored health policy expansions similar to the Affordable Care Act with proposals for broader coverage and affordability, and he endorsed economic measures targeting inequality that resonate with platforms from progressive caucuses in the United States House of Representatives and organizations like Economic Policy Institute. In environmental and climate matters he supported justice-oriented green investments referencing initiatives in states like California and programs advocated by Sierra Club and Greenpeace activists. Jealous has spoken at forums hosted by institutions such as Harvard University, Georgetown University, and the Brookings Institution on civil rights, civic participation, and policy solutions.

Personal life

Jealous is married and has children; his family life has been based in Baltimore, Maryland and the surrounding Chesapeake Bay region. He is connected through family and mentorship ties to figures in the civil rights and philanthropic communities, and he has participated in cultural events alongside artists and intellectuals from institutions such as Kennedy Center and community organizations in cities including Washington, D.C. and New York City. His background includes engagement with faith communities and civic associations linked to African American historical institutions like the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Awards and recognition

Throughout his career Jealous has received honors from academic and civic institutions, including fellowships and awards from organizations such as the Rhodes Trust, the Ford Foundation, and recognition lists produced by outlets like Time (magazine), The New York Times, and The Washington Post. He has been invited to deliver lectures at universities including Columbia University, Oxford University, and Stanford University, and has been honored by civil society groups including chapters of the NAACP and coalitions aligned with the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.

Category:1963 births Category:American activists Category:Rhodes Scholars Category:Living people