Mamie Evelyn Locke (born March 19, 1954) is an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

. A

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, she was a member of the

Hampton, Virginia Hampton () is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 137,148. It is the List ...

city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

1996–2004, and

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

2000–2004.

Education

Locke received a

B.A. degree Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate education, undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally complet ...

in history and political science from

Tougaloo College Tougaloo College is a private historically black college in the Tougaloo area of Jackson, Mississippi. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It was originally established in 1869 by New Yo ...

in 1976. She then attended

Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States. Founde ...

for advanced political science studies, receiving an

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

in 1978 and a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

in 1984. She also completed a program in Middle Eastern studies at the

American University in Cairo The American University in Cairo (AUC; ar, الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة, Al-Jāmi‘a al-’Amrīkiyya bi-l-Qāhira) is a private research university in Cairo, Egypt. The university offers American-style learning programs ...

in 1986.

Political career

Locke was first elected to Hampton City Council in 1996. The council chose her as Vice Mayor in 1998 and Mayor in 2000. In 2003, she won a three-way Democratic primary for the 2nd Senate district nomination with 48.11% of the vote. She then won the general election over

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

P. K. Bomersheim and

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

J. B. Hobson with 64.75%. In 2007, Locke was unopposed in her reelection bid. In 2011, she defeated Republican Tom E. Harmon IV with 65.39% of the vote.

Notes

External links

* *
Project Vote Smart - Senator Mamie E. Locke (VA)
profile *''Follow the Money'' - Mamie Locke
20052003
campaign contributions * 1954 births Living people Democratic Party Virginia state senators Mayors of Hampton, Virginia Virginia city council members Women mayors of places in Virginia Women state legislators in Virginia Hampton University faculty People from Brandon, Mississippi Tougaloo College alumni Clark Atlanta University alumni The American University in Cairo alumni 20th-century American politicians 21st-century American politicians African-American state legislators in Virginia 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American women politicians Women city councillors in Virginia African-American mayors in Virginia American women academics 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American politicians 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American politicians African-American women mayors {{Virginia-mayor-stub