U.S. Senator, breast cancer survivor, black man. Why you should know about Sen. Edward Brooke (R-MA).
Edward William Brooke III died last month. January 3, 2015, to be exact. Some political sites ran an article or two; they usually note when a former U.S. senator dies. Ed Brooke wasn’t just a senator, though. Elected in Massachusetts in 1966, Brooke was a moderate Republican. He co-authored the 1968 Fair Housing Act which outlawed discriminatory housing practices, fought the Nixon administration to uphold the tenets of LBJ’s Great Society, fought to uphold Title IX, and successfully argued for the expansion of Voting Rights Act. These are only a few of his accomplishments while in the U.S. Senate, but they amount to a pretty impressive career.
Brooke’s pro-choice stances placed him at odds with powerful Catholic groups in Massachusetts, resulting in his defeat in the 1978 election.
Did I mention that Ed Brooke was the first black person elected to the United States Senate? Also, did I mention that he’s still the only black person to serve multiple terms in the Senate (elected in 1966 and 1972)?
TL;DR
- Brooke was the first black person ever elected to the U.S. senate.
- Brooke is the only black senator to serve multiple terms.
- He was a male breast cancer survivor and worked to raise awareness for the disease among men.
- He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
What You Should Do Now:
- Research your local, state, and federal politicians. Ask yourself if they honestly reflect the demographics of your area.
- Go read “The Case for Reparations” concerning housing discrimination across the United States.
There will be a new inspirational figure every day for the entirety of Black History Month.