Barbara Boyd (April 24, 1942 – November 5, 2022) was an American politician. She served twice as a Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives, serving the 9th district from 2007 to 2014, and the same district from 1993 until 2000.

Early life and education

Boyd was born in

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

and graduated from Saint Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia.

Career

Boyd worked on President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...

's campaign as a start to politics. She became the first African American elected to Cleveland Heights City Council in 1983, where she would ultimately serve as mayor. Boyd also worked with the

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for supervising the state's public assistance, workforce development, unemployment compensation, child and adult prot ...

, as well as with the Children's Defense Fund.

Ohio House of Representatives

Boyd was originally elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1992, and would be reelected three times after before term limits forced her into retirement. In 2001, she was succeeded by

Claudette Woodard Claudette Johanne Woodard (April 21, 1945 – February 26, 2010) was a former Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 9th District from 2001 to 2006. She died in 2010, aged 64. She had vascular dementia Vascul ...

. In 2006, Boyd was again eligible to run for her former House seat after sitting out for four years. She did so, and won with 83.66% of the vote. She won a second term in 2008 with 87.55% of the vote. With Democrats retaking control of the House, Boyd would serve as Chairperson of the Health Committee for the 128th Ohio General Assembly. Boyd was reelected to a third term in 2010 with 86% of the vote. She also served on the committee of Veteran's Affairs. Boyd faced primary opposition in 2012 for her eighth term, but defeated challenger Howard Harris, securing 91.80% of the vote. She was unopposed in the general election. She was term-limited in 2014 and succeeded by her daughter, Janine Boyd.

Personal life and death

Boyd died on November 5, 2022, at the age of 80.

References

External links

Campaign website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyd, Barbara 1942 births 2022 deaths Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Politicians from Cleveland Saint Paul's College (Virginia) alumni Women state legislators in Ohio Mayors of places in Ohio People from Cleveland Heights, Ohio African-American women in politics Women city councillors in Ohio African-American state legislators in Ohio 21st-century American women politicians 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians Women mayors of places in Ohio African-American city council members in Ohio 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American politicians 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American politicians 21st-century American politicians