Ackerman, Gary Leonard, 1942-

Gary Leonard Ackerman (born November 19, 1942) is an American educator, newspaper editor and publisher, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he notably served as the U.S. Representative from New York's 7th (1983-1993) and 5th (1993-2013) congressional districts.

Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Flushing, Queens, he attended schools in New York City, graduating from Brooklyn Technicasl High School before earning a B.A. degree from Queens College. After college, Ackerman became a New York City School teacher where he taught social studies, mathematics, and journalism to junior high school students in Queens. He also briefly attended St. John’s University in Jamaica, Queens. In 1970, he left teaching to start a weekly community newspaper in Queens called The Flushing Tribune which soon became the Queens Tribune. Ackerman served as its editor and publisher. After falling short in his 1977 bid for a seat on the New York City Council, he served as a member of the New York state senate from 1979 to 1983. After incumbent Congressman Benjamin Rosenthal died one day into the Ninety-eighth Congress, Ackerman won the March 1983 special election for his 7th district seat.

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