James T. Meeks (born August 4, 1956) is a Baptist minister and past member of the Illinois Senate, who represented the 15th district from 2003 to 2013.

[3] Meeks was appointed chair of the Illinois State Board of Education by Governor Bruce Rauner and took office January 21, 2017.

[5] After graduating from Harper High School, Meeks continued his education at Bishop College in Dallas, where he earned a degree in Religion and Philosophy.

In 1998, Meeks led a movement to "dry up" Roseland Community by collecting votes to close 26 liquor stores.

He also created a mentoring program called "It Takes a Village " which provides support and assistance to pregnant youth and young mothers.

The bill focuses its attention on vulnerable groups, including those at risk of homelessness and low income people with disabilities.

Meeks believes that cameras in police cars protects everyone involved in a traffic stop, arguing that it provides security for both the driver and the law enforcement officer, and that it may also help reduce instances of racial profiling.

During his speech supporting the removal of Rod Blagojevich from office, Meeks reprised the governor's now-infamous quote about Barack Obama's Senate seat, saying, "We have this thing called impeachment and it's bleeping golden, and we've used it the right way.

[2] In November 2010, in an interview on the radio station WVON, Meeks advocated that only African Americans should be qualified for city contracts designated for minorities and women.

[22][23][24] Meeks and his wife Jamell live in Chicago, Illinois and have four children: Jamie, Janet, Trent (Christina), and Jasmine, and one granddaughter and a grandson