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Ras Jua Baraka (born April 9, 1970 The Honorable Ras Baraka, The History Makers. Accessed October 2, 2024. "Political leader Ras Baraka was born on April 9, 1970 in Newark, New Jersey to writer and playwright Amiri Baraka and poet Amina Baraka.") is an American politician, author, and educator. A member of the Democratic Party, Baraka is the 40th and current mayor of Newark, New Jersey. First elected in the 2014 election, he was sworn into office on July 1, 2014, and was reelected in 2018 and 2022.
Prior to his election as mayor, he served on the Municipal Council of Newark and as principal of the city's Central High School. Baraka sought the Democratic nomination for governor of New Jersey in the 2025 election, but lost in the primary to Mikie Sherrill.
Baraka was educated in the Newark Public Schools, attending University High School.Baisden, Cheryl. "New Jersey Q & A: Ras Baraka; Young Challenger for Newark Mayoralty", The New York Times, May 1, 1994. Accessed October 2, 2024. "Born: April 9, 1969, in Newark. Education: University High School, Newark. B.A. in political science, Howard University, 1991." He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Howard University in Washington, DC; and a Master of Arts degree in education supervision from Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Baraka was featured on singer Lauryn Hill's 1998 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, as the narrator of several interludes on the album. He also recorded the intro to The Score, the Fugees' second album. Baraka and Hill recorded an unreleased single together titled "Hot Beverage in the Winter", which later featured on his spoken-word album Shorty for Mayor.
Baraka dedicated his collection of poems Black Girls Learn Love Hard to the life of his late sister, Shani Baraka, Black Girls Learn Love Hard at Amazon. who had been fatally shot in 2003. He had read as part of the city's Dodge Poetry Festival.
Baraka has participated in the National Political Hip-Hop Convention. In 2019, Baraka released the spoken word video What We Want.
In 2025, an audio recording of Baraka's poem American Poem, which he performed on Def Poetry Jam on HBO in 2003, was featured in singer Beyonce's Cowboy Carter tour.
In May 2010 he defeated then-councilman Oscar James II in a highly contested election, on a platform critical of Mayor Cory Booker. The election was documented on the Sundance TV reality television series Brick City, which stars Booker, Baraka and other Newark political and residential figures.
Baraka ran in the 2014 Newark mayoral election against former Assistant State Attorney General Shavar Jeffries, after fellow council members Anibal Ramos, Jr. and Darrin Sharif dropped out of the race. In August 2013, fellow council members Mildred C. Crump and Ronald C. Rice issued statements formally backing Baraka's candidacy. Baraka's slate for the municipal council included John Sharpe James (council member-at-large running for South Ward), Mildred C. Crump (council member at-large incumbent), Alturrick Kenney (at-large candidate), Patrick Council (at-large candidate) and Joe McCallum (West Ward candidate).
In December 2013, the Communications Workers of America endorsed Baraka. In February 2014 he received the endorsement of former New Jersey governor Richard Codey and Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop. In March he was endorsed by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.
On May 13, 2014, Baraka was elected mayor of Newark. Official results show that of 44,951 ballots cast, he received 24,358 to Jeffries' 20,593. He succeeded Luis A. Quintana, who was completing the term of Cory Booker, who had resigned after being elected to the United States Senate in October 2013. Baraka was sworn in as the city's 40th mayor by former Governor of New Jersey Richard Codey at ceremonies at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on July 1, 2014, for a four-year term.
Baraka was re-elected in 2018 and 2022.
On May 28, 2014, Baraka announced his transition team, headed by former mayor Kenneth Gibson.
Baraka appointed his brother, Amiri "Middy" Baraka, Jr. as his chief of staff.
During his tenure as mayor, Baraka has earned praise for improving Newark's economic prospects.
In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, donated $100 million of his personal fortune through his foundation StartUp Education to the Newark school system. The Oprah Winfrey Show, September 24, 2010 Release of the funds required matching funds, which were mostly raised through the Foundation for Newark's Future and have largely been spent, though funds remain.
Teams of consultants have suggested numerous management reforms from the top down, but according to Baraka, echoing concerns of many residents, they have ignored the community and the needs of children and wishes of families in the neighborhoods. A restructuring program called One Newark calls for the closure of some public schools and the opening of more charter schools (some in public school buildings).
The reorganization, spearheaded by state-appointed Superintendent Cami Anderson, would relocate, consolidate or close one quarter of the district's schools that she has determined are underutilized. The plan has met with stiff resistance from large segments of Newark's population, with critics saying there was no evidence it will increase student performance. The plan would also include teacher lay-offs. While there is some agreement with many of the policies being implemented in the program, the disregard for community input and the pace of change has drawn criticism. The plan will require some students to leave their neighborhoods and travel across the city, with many parents fearing for their safety.
Baraka ran for election with a campaign to take back local control of the schools. In May 2014, Newark, which already had control of operations (includes student transportation and other support services), was granted local powers over budget and finance, giving the local advisory board its first formal vote on the district's nearly $1 billion in annual spending. The state retains the right to veto any action of the local board and has the final say in appointing the superintendent of the district. Baraka, as an outspoken advocate of returning control of Newark's schools to local authority, has called for the ouster of state-appointed Superintendent Anderson. Anderson's contract was renewed in June 2014.
A discrimination complaint filed on behalf of Newark parents and the Newark branch of New Jersey's Parents Unified for Local School Education (PULSE) claims that 86 percent of the students affected by "One Newark" changes are African American, while African-American students make up 51 percent of the entire district. The allegation is being investigated by the United States Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.
Baraka has called for the resignation of Cami Anderson, the state-appointed superintendent. Anderson resigned in June 2015. While Anderson's resignation made the situation less politically volatile, Baraka opposes the creation of more charter schools, and believes they come at the expense of public schools.
In Fall 2014, Baraka started the Model Neighborhood initiative, which increased police presence in troubled neighborhoods.
In 2020, Baraka created the Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery to steer resources to the root causes of violence, while ensuring that the many organizations contributing to public safety are working in alignment. The city has now achieved a historic 60-year low in violence.
In 2019 the Ras Baraka administration began a massive effort to replace lead water pipes that were causing lead in drinking water to exceed federal limits. By spring of 2021, local officials had removed more than 20,000 lead service lines.
In 2022, Vice President Kamala Harris called Newark “the national model” for lead line replacement. The replacement of over 23,000 lines in the city, which was estimated to take eight years, was completed in just under three years.
In 2014, the city initiated a Valentine's Day building lot sale in which married couples could purchase housing plots in the city for $1,000, provided they built a house on the lot within 18 months. Nearly 100 plots were sold; as of 2015, few had been built on, due to insufficient financing.
City officials, including Baraka, took photos and signed documents to make Newark a "sister city" with Kailaasa. Baraka was not aware of the scam until after an official ceremony had been held. Newark City Hall called the scam a "regrettable incident," a council member referred to it as an "oversight," and Newark residents expressed embarrassment that city officials did not bother to perform a basic Google search to determine whether "Kailasa" was a real country or city.
On May 9, 2025, Baraka was arrested by (ICE) agents outside of the Delaney Hall ICE facility. Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Baraka was arrested because he "committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center". Baraka attempted to join a congressional delegation conducting oversight, was denied entry by a federal official, and then Baraka exited the secure area of the facility and returned to stand on public property; however, minutes later, federal agents surrounded Baraka, handcuffed him, and brought him inside the facility.
In a press conference after the arrest, Democratic House representative Rob Menendez said ICE agents "feel no restraint on what they should be doing, and that was shown in broad daylight today". Baraka had an initial court appearance, was charged with trespassing and was later released on the same day of his arrest. After release, he told waiting supporters, "The reality is this: I didn't do anything wrong." Baraka voiced support for the people and immigrants in his community. He did not speak about his case, saying he made a promise to the judge and lawyers.
Baraka has said since his arrest that he will continue to oppose the Delaney Hall ICE facility, both in court and through protests. On May 19, 2025, Habba announced that the charges were dropped and invited him to tour the facility with her.
At an event at Rowan University, Baraka called incarceration and policing in New Jersey “uneven, costly and racist.”
New Jersey Globe described Baraka as "the Bernie Sanders of the 2025 governor’s race" for his budget proposal to raise taxes on the state's highest earners and reduce the tax burden on household incomes of $0 to $90,000.
Through his father, some of Baraka's half-sisters are Kellie Jones and Lisa Jones and Dominique di Prima. (Jones was their father's last name at the time they were born.)
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