25 Facts About Alphonso Jackson

Alphonso R Jackson was born on September 9,1945 and served as the 13th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Alphonso Jackson was nominated by President George W Bush on August 28,2004, and confirmed by the Senate on August 31,2004.

Alphonso Jackson attended Truman State University and studied political science there.

Alphonso Jackson went on to earn a master's degree in education administration from the school in 1969.

Alphonso Jackson became executive director of the St Louis Housing Authority four years later, a job he held until 1983.

Alphonso Jackson left it to work as a consultant to a St Louis accounting firm and intensified his political activities.

Alphonso Jackson worked for the US Senate campaign of Jack Danforth, a Republican.

Alphonso Jackson's rising profile earned him the attention of officials in Washington, and in 1987 he was made the director of the US Department of Public and Assisted Housing for Washington, DC.

In 1989 Alphonso Jackson was tapped to take over the Housing Authority of the City of Dallas as its president and chief executive officer.

Alphonso Jackson was the first African American to lead the formerly troubled agency, which had become the target of discrimination lawsuits.

Alphonso Jackson worked to improve the run-down buildings and unsafe conditions that had become standard in the city's aging public-housing units and arranged deals that improved neighborhood conditions.

Alphonso Jackson managed to find funds for a commercial development project, for example, that brought the first supermarket back to a struggling West Dallas neighborhood in several years.

Alphonso Jackson was responsible for the Company's operations in South and West Texas.

In early 2001 Alphonso Jackson's name was approved by Congress to serve as the deputy secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a post that essentially made him second-in-command and chief operating officer of the cabinet department, working under HUD Secretary Mel Martinez.

Alphonso Jackson succeeded Martinez as Secretary in August 2004, and served until resigning in March 2008.

An expert on public housing and urban issues, Alphonso Jackson has been asked to serve on a number of national and state commissions, most notably the General Services Commission of the State of Texas, where he served as Chairman; the National Commission on America's Urban Families, and the National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing.

Alphonso Jackson currently serves on the United States Department of State Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, Howard University's Board of Trustees and the Ford's Theatre Society Board of Trustees.

In December 2017, Alphonso Jackson was chosen to receive the Horatio Alger Award for 2018.

Alphonso Jackson first joined the Bush Administration in June 2001 as the Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Alphonso Jackson was nominated by President George W Bush on August 28,2004, to take that position on a permanent basis, and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on August 31,2004.

Alphonso Jackson was the fourth African American to hold that post.

On March 31,2008, Alphonso Jackson announced his resignation, effective April 18,2008.

Alphonso Jackson increased minority, women, and small business contracting substantially during his tenure.

Alphonso Jackson's lawyers noted that a lawyer at the Justice Department's public integrity unit told them that it was closing its investigation.

Alphonso Jackson recounted that a prospective HUD contractor had made a "heck of a proposal" and was selected upon the basis of that proposal, but upon thanking Jackson for being selected the bidder, mentioned that he did not like President Bush.