Alphonso Jackson named 3rd Black in Bush Cabinet

Jet, April 19, 2004

After a four-month wait, the U.S. Senate finally confirmed President Bush's nomination of Dallas public housing specialist Alphonso Jackson as the new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

At one time, Democrats threatened to block his nomination to protest White House appointments of federal judges while Congress was out of session.

He became the third Black member of the Cabinet, succeeding former Secretary Mel Martinez. Other Blacks are Secretary of State Colin Powell and Education Secretary Roderick Paige. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice is a White House exec, but attends Cabinet meetings as a presidential staffer.

A HUD deputy secretary for almost three years, Jackson managed the day-to-day operation of the department with 9,300 employees and an annual budget of $32 billion.

He has directed housing agencies in Washington, St. Louis and Dallas, where his public housing project was awarded the highest ranking of any other such development. He grew up in Dallas and is the youngest of 12 children.