Ako Abdul-Samad (born July 25, 1951) is a retired American politician. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2007 to 2025. Previously, he was a member of the Des Moines school board.
Early life and education Ako Abdul-Samad was born on July 25, 1951, in Des Moines, Iowa. He was raised in the city by a single mother. As a teenager, he became involved in the Black Panther Party, but left Des Moines after the party's headquarters in the city were bombed in 1969.
Abdul-Samad worked various jobs in the early 1970s, including a stint as an attendant aboard the Delta Queen. He converted to Islam around this time. He returned to Des Moines in 1975 and attended Des Moines Area Community College.
Career In 1996, Abdul-Samad founded the Creative Visions Human Development Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides educational programs for at-risk youth.
In 2003, Abdul-Samad was elected to the Des Moines School Board, and served one term. In 2006, he was elected to represent district 35 of the Iowa House of Representatives, which serves parts of Des Moines. He was reelected in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022. In 2024, he announced that he would retire at the end of his term and declined to seek re-election.
Abdul-Samad served on various committees throughout his legislative career, including the House Administration and Rules, Education, Human Resources, and Public Safety committees. He also served on the Health and Human Services Committee of the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments.HHS Committee Roster CSG Midwest During the legislative session of 2017, he voted against cutting $70.1 million from the Department for the Blind, the College Student Aid Commission, the Department of Education, and the Board of Regents.
Abdul-Samad has served as chairman of the American Muslim Alliance and the Iowa Democratic Black Caucus. He also founded the African-American Islamic Association and co-founded the first black student union in Iowa.
Personal life Abdul-Samad continues to reside in Des Moines. His only child, Ako White Abdul-Samad, was shot and killed at the age of 20 in 1997.
Abdul-Samad is a published author, having written the book The Deeper Truth: Revelations of the Soul in 2004.
Electoral history *incumbent
References
External links
Ako Abdul-Samad official Iowa General Assembly site Ako Abdul-Samad State Representative official constituency site Ako for Iowa official campaign site