Julia Carson
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Julia May Carson (née Porter; July 8, 1938 – December 15, 2007) was a member of the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
for from 1997 until her death in 2007 (numbered as the 10th District from 1997 to 2003).U.S. Congresswoman Julia Carson
U.S. House bio
Carson was the first woman and first
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
to represent Indianapolis in the U.S. Congress. She was also the second African American woman elected to
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
from
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, after Katie Hall, and her grandson
André Carson André D. Carson (born October 16, 1974) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, his district includes the southern four-fifths of Indianapolis, including Downtown Indianapol ...
succeeded to her seat following her death.


Early life, education and family life

Carson was born in
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
. Her mother, Velma V. Porter, unmarried and a teenager, moved to
Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
while Julia was still a girl and worked as a domestic to support her family. Julia also worked part-time, waiting tables, delivering newspapers, and harvesting crops, among other jobs to support her family before graduating from
Crispus Attucks High School Crispus Attucks High School (also known as Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School) is a high school of the Indianapolis Public Schools in Indianapolis, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is named for Crispus Attucks (c.1723 – March 5, 1770), ...
in 1955, as well as while attending
Martin University Martin University (originally Martin Center College) is a private college in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was founded by Fr Boniface Hardin, OSB and Jane Edward Schilling, CSJ in 1977 to serve low-income, minority, and adult learners. It is the only ...
in Indianapolis and
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th st ...
. She was a member of the
Zeta Phi Beta Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. In 1920, five women from Howard University envisioned a sorority that would raise the consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic achie ...
sorority. She married after graduation, and had two children, Sam and Tonya, but divorced Carson while the children were still young.


Career

In 1965, while a single mother and working as a secretary at
UAW The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers (UAW), is an American Labor unions in the United States, labor union that represents workers in the Un ...
Local 550, Carson was hired away by newly elected congressman
Andrew Jacobs Jr. Andrew Jacobs Jr. (February 24, 1932 – December 28, 2013) was an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, he served as an Indiana state legislator and Congressman. Jacobs was a member of the United States House of Representatives for thir ...
, a Democrat, to do casework in his Indianapolis office. When his own electoral prospects looked dim in 1972 (which turned out to be a Republican landslide), Jacobs encouraged Carson to run for the
Indiana House of Representatives The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House memb ...
, which she did. She won election from the central Indianapolis district in 1972, and re-election. She served as a delegate for four years and rose to become assistant minority caucus chair. The legislature being a part-time position, Carson also worked as the human resources director at an electric company from 1973 to 1996. She also once operated a clothing store, which failed and saddled her with debt for several years. In 1976, at the urging of fellow Democrats, Carson arranged for prominent local businessman and fellow Democrat Joseph W. Summers to run for her house seat, as she successfully ran for the
Indiana Senate The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms ...
. She won re-election and ultimately served in the Indiana Senate for 14 years, sitting on its finance committee and eventually holding the minority whip position before retiring in 1990. Carson and Katie Hall (a fellow
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 ...
but from Lake County who also won election that year) became the first African American women to win election to the Indiana Senate; the first African American to sit in that body had been Virginia-born civil rights attorney
Robert Lee Brokenburr Robert Lee Brokenburr (November 16, 1886 – March 24, 1974) was an attorney, civil rights leader, and state legislator in Indiana. After several election campaigns, Brokenburr ran as a Republican for an Indiana Senate seat in 1940 and became the ...
, a
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 ...
who had died in 1974 and who represented part of Marion County for most of the period 1941-1964. In 1990 Carson won election as the Trustee for Center Township (downtown Indianapolis), seemingly a step down from her legislative post, but with a considerable budget and administrative responsibilities. Carson assumed responsibility for running
welfare Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...
in central Indianapolis, and instituted a workfare program. During Carson's six years as the Center Township Trustee, she created a $6 million surplus and erased the office's $20 million debt. The County's auditor (a Republican) noted Carson “wrestled that monster to the ground.” Jacobs proclaimed Carson "not only took cheats off the welfare rolls, she
sued - A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
them to get the money.”


Congressional elections

When Jacobs retired in 1996, Carson ran as his replacement in what was then the 10th Congressional District, and won the Democratic Party's endorsement, 49 percent to 31 percent, despite being heavily outspent in the primary by party chairman Ann DeLaney. In the general election Carson faced Republican
Virginia Murphy Blankenbaker Virginia Murphy Blankenbaker (born March 29, 1933) was an American politician and educator. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Blankenbaker received her bachelor's degree in home economics from Purdue University and her master's degree from Butler Uni ...
, a state senator and stockbroker who, like Carson, was a grandmother with
liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
views on
abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
and the
death penalty Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
. Although the district was 68% white and conservative-leaning, each raised similar sums of money, but Carson won, with 53 percent of the vote versus 45 percent for Blankenbaker. Soon thereafter, Carson underwent double heart bypass surgery on January 4, 1997, which years later produced complications. Carson was sworn in to office from her hospital bed on January 9, 1997, and could not travel to Washington, D.C. until early March. Carson won reelection with little difficulty in 1998 and 2000. Her 2000 campaign attracted a personal appearance by President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
that drew thousands to the Indiana State Fairgrounds. In 2003, Carson helped win $11 million in federal funding for transportation initiatives in Indianapolis, including highway expansion, street improvements, and improved public transportation. In 2005, Carson sponsored the $40 billion Amtrak re–authorization bill (the National Defense Rail Act), which provided for new rail lines including high–speed rail corridors. In 2006, Carson traveled from Washington, D.C. to Indianapolis aboard
Air Force One Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. In common parlance, the term is used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used ...
with President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
to appear at the Indiana Black Expo. Her health (including asthma, hypertension and diabetes) became an issue in tighter-than-expected races beginning in 2002. After Indiana lost a Congressional district following the 2000
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, her district was renumbered as the 7th District and included slightly more registered Republicans than its predecessor. In a heated campaign that led to Carson leaving the stage in protest in the final pre-election debate with Republican public affairs specialist Brose McVey, she won re-election 53 percent to 44 percent. Carson won re-election by about 11 points in 2004, defeating Republican Andrew Horning and Libertarian Barry Campbell. Carson defeated
Eric Dickerson Eric Demetric Dickerson (born September 2, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Dickerson played college football for the Mustangs of Southern Me ...
in the 2006 election 54 percent to 46 percent, a narrow 8-point margin in a year when most incumbent Democrats skated to victory. In the same election, Democratic challengers toppled Republican incumbents in three Indiana districts much more conservative than Carson's. Carson was a member of the
Congressional Black Caucus The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is a caucus made up of most African-American members of the United States Congress. Representative Karen Bass from California chaired the caucus from 2019 to 2021; she was succeeded by Representative Joyce ...
. She was one of the 31 who voted in the House not to count the electoral votes from
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
in the 2004 presidential election. Notably Carson never lost an election throughout her entire career in both state and federal politics.


House record

Carson won re-election numerous times, although redistricting added 100,000 people, many of them Republicans, to her district. She focused on issues that affected working–class Americans, many of which she personally experienced, as well as on constituent service. She won re-election rather handily during the next four elections, although some criticized her for being somewhat unpredictable, particularly votes for
anti-terrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...
bills and normal
trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...
relations with
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. Carson was one of the last representatives to support trade normalization with China in 2000 (because of its human rights record), and opposed the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
resolution in 2002. During the 105th Congress (1997–1999), Carson received posts on the Banking and Financial Services Committee (later renamed Financial Services) and the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and continued in those positions during the 106th and 107th Congresses. The Roudebush VA Medical Center was in her district, and she often visited recuperating veterans, as well as could identify with many of their health problems. In the 108th Congress (2003–2005), Carson left Veterans' Affairs to accept an assignment on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Amtrak's largest repair facility was near Indianapolis, and she would sponsor Amtrak's largest reauthorization bill in 2005. Carson helped create the Indiana Mortgage and Foreclosure Hotline to counsel homeowners and potential buyers about the mortgage process, noting that although Indiana had one of the country's highest homeownership rates in 2001, it experienced a record number of foreclosures in 2004. She also regularly sponsored children's safety, health, and nutrition legislation, including comprehensive gun safety legislation (protecting children by requiring safety locks on handguns) in 1999. Carson's legislative record included leading Congress to award
Rosa Parks Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American activist in the civil rights movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. The United States Congress has honored her as "the ...
the
Congressional Gold Medal The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...
in 1999, and in 2005 allowing the civil rights icon to become the first woman to lie in state in the U.S. Capital Rotunda. Carson also cosponsored, with (Republican) Sen.
Richard Lugar Richard Green Lugar (April 4, 1932 – April 28, 2019) was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Indiana from 1977 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party. Born in Indianapolis, Lugar graduated from De ...
, the removal of
bureaucratic The term bureaucracy () refers to a body of non-elected governing officials as well as to an administrative policy-making group. Historically, a bureaucracy was a government administration managed by departments staffed with non-elected offi ...
bottlenecks on child
health insurance Health insurance or medical insurance (also known as medical aid in South Africa) is a type of insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a person incurring medical expenses. As with other types of insurance, risk is shared among ma ...
; and commemorating author
Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
(H.RES.324). Other Congressional accomplishments included critical funding to revitalize Indianapolis's Fall Creek Neighborhood (which today includes some of the finest examples of reclaimed urban landscape in the U.S.). Carson also supported the new terminal for the
Indianapolis International Airport Indianapolis International Airport is an international airport located seven miles (11 km) southwest of downtown Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority. The ...
, which opened November 12, 2008. She was the first recipient of the
Frank O'Bannon Frank Lewis O'Bannon (January 30, 1930 – September 13, 2003) was an American politician who served as the 47th governor of Indiana from 1997 until his death in 2003. As of October 2022, he remains the most recent United States Governor to ha ...
Award from Indiana Stonewall Democrats. Carson also co-sponsored the Equal Employment Non-Discrimination Act and was a member of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Equality Caucus in the U.S. House led by U.S. Representative
Barney Frank Barnett Frank (born March 31, 1940) is a former American politician. He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts from 1981 to 2013. A Democrat, Frank served as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee ...
, D-Massachusetts.


Illness and death

On September 29, 2007, the ''
Indianapolis Star Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
'' reported that Carson had been an in-patient at Indianapolis's Methodist Hospital for the preceding eight days. She was being treated for an infection in her leg near the area where a vein was removed in 1996 during double bypass heart surgery. Year-to-date, Carson had participated in 87 percent of the House votes, but had missed 42 of 77 votes during the month. Carson had battled
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...
before, but it had gone into remission before being re-diagnosed during the leg vein treatment, as the ''Star'' announced on November 25. She died on December 15, at the age of 69; her death was announced by her friend, former U.S. Representative
Andrew Jacobs Jr. Andrew Jacobs Jr. (February 24, 1932 – December 28, 2013) was an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, he served as an Indiana state legislator and Congressman. Jacobs was a member of the United States House of Representatives for thir ...
Schneider, Mary Beth
Congresswoman Julia Carson dies
''
Indianapolis Star Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
'', December 15, 2007. Accessed 2007-12-15.
On December 21, Carson's casket was taken to the
Indiana Statehouse The Indiana Statehouse is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Indiana. It houses the Indiana General Assembly, the office of the Governor of Indiana, the Indiana Supreme Court, and other state officials. The Statehouse is located in ...
in downtown Indianapolis by horse-drawn military caisson. She became the ninth Hoosier to lie in repose at the Statehouse Rotunda. An early-morning service was held in the statehouse, with remarks by Indiana Governor
Mitch Daniels Mitchell Elias Daniels Jr. (born April 7, 1949) is an American academic administrator, businessman, author, and retired politician. A Republican, Daniels served as the 49th governor of Indiana from 2005 to 2013. Since 2013, Daniels has been pr ...
and Carson's grandson, Councilman
André Carson André D. Carson (born October 16, 1974) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, his district includes the southern four-fifths of Indianapolis, including Downtown Indianapol ...
. Thousands of Hoosiers paid last respects, visiting the casket and attending an evening ceremony in the Statehouse. Celebrants included Jacobs, the Reverend
Jesse Jackson Jesse Louis Jackson (né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American political activist, Baptist minister, and politician. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as a shadow U.S. senator ...
, Indianapolis Mayor
Bart Peterson Barton "Bart" R. Peterson (born June 15, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician who served as mayor of the United States, U.S city of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is also a past president of the National League of Cities. A Democratic Party (Unit ...
(D), U.S. Representative
Brad Ellsworth John Bradley Ellsworth (born September 11, 1958) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 2007 to 2011. In 2010, he was the Democratic candidate for a seat in the United States Senate, but he was defeated by Dan Coats, ...
(D-Ind.), U.S. Representative Baron Hill (D-Ind.), U.S. Representative
Sheila Jackson Lee Sheila Jackson Lee (born January 12, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who is the U.S. representative for , having served since 1995. The district includes most of central Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and served ...
(D-Texas), U.S. Representative
Diane Watson Diane Edith Watson (born November 12, 1933) is a former American politician who served as US Representative for , serving from 2003 until 2011, after first being elected in the 32nd District in a 2001 special election. She is a member of the Dem ...
(D-Calif.) and former
Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along the ...
mayor
Richard Hatcher Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...
. Rudolph M. Clay, the then-incumbent mayor of Gary, presented a key to the city to the Carson family. Carson's funeral was held at Eastern Star Baptist Church on December 22. Speakers at included Governor Daniels (R), both U.S. Senator
Richard Lugar Richard Green Lugar (April 4, 1932 – April 28, 2019) was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Indiana from 1977 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party. Born in Indianapolis, Lugar graduated from De ...
( R-Ind.) and
Evan Bayh Birch Evans Bayh III ( ; born December 26, 1955) is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011 and the 46th governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh w ...
(D-Ind.), former U.S. Senator
Birch Bayh Birch Evans Bayh Jr. (; January 22, 1928 – March 14, 2019) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1963 to 1981. He was first elected to office in 1954, when he won election to the Indiana ...
(D-Ind.), U.S. Representative
Pete Visclosky Peter John Visclosky ( ; born August 13, 1949) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1985 until his retirement in 2021. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was the dean of the Indiana congressional del ...
(D-Ind.), U.S. Representative
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Stephanie Tubbs Jones (September 10, 1949 – August 20, 2008)B. Patrick Bauer B. Patrick Bauer (born May 25, 1944) is an American politician who served as Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives from 2003 to 2005 and 2007 to 2011. A Democratic member of the Indiana House of Representatives, he has represented th ...
(D-South Bend), Indianapolis Mayor Peterson, radio host and Hoosier native
Tavis Smiley Tavis Smiley (; born September 13, 1964) is an American talk show host and author. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, and grew up in Bunker Hill, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to ...
, and Minister
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott, May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader, black supremacist, anti-white and antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and former singer who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI). Prior to joining the NOI, h ...
. Carson was buried in
Crown Hill Cemetery Crown Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The privately owned cemetery was established in 1863 at Strawberry Hill, whose summit was renamed "The Crown", a high poi ...
in Indianapolis; the graveside ceremony included a three-volley salute.


Legacy

During her life, Carson was named the
Indianapolis Star Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
Woman of the Year in 1974 and 1991, and was inducted into the Indiana Public Schools Hall of Fame in 2006. A commemorative bust honoring her was unveiled in the Indiana statehouse in 2014, and she was also remembered during Indiana's celebration of Women's History month in 2015. Indianapolis named its local government center to honor Carson in 1997 and its transit center to honor her in 2016.
Ivy Tech Community College Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) is a public community college system in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the state's public community college system and it has more than 40 locations. It is also the state's largest public postsecondary ins ...
named its new library and community space in Indianapolis to honor Carson in 2011. Julia Carson's papers are held in the library of Indiana University in Indianapolis. Indianapolis also wanted to award landmark status to her former home. A special election was held on March 11, 2008 to determine Carson's replacement in Congress.Executive Order 08-01
Mitch Daniels. January 7, 2008.
Although he had won his first elective office (as an Indianapolis city councilman) only weeks before Carson's death, her grandson
André Carson André D. Carson (born October 16, 1974) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, his district includes the southern four-fifths of Indianapolis, including Downtown Indianapol ...
won the election, defeating Republican state representative
Jon Elrod Jonathan "Jon" Robert Elrod (born May 3, 1977) is an American attorney and politician. He is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives from District 97. He was the Republican Party candidate in the Indiana's 7th congressional distr ...
and Libertarian Sean Shepard. Andre Carson also won the May 2008 Democratic Primary for Congress against six opponents. U.S. Senator
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
(D-Illinois) had endorsed Carson before his primary victory.


Committees and subcommittees

*
Committee on Financial Services The United States House Committee on Financial Services, also referred to as the House Banking Committee and previously known as the Committee on Banking and Currency, is the committee of the United States House of Representatives that oversees t ...
(ranked 10th of 32 Democrats) **
United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit The United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions is a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services. Jurisdiction The subcommittee oversees all financial regulators, such as the ...
**
United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity The U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance is a subcommittee of the House Committee on Financial Services. Between 2019 and 2013, it was known as the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance. Jurisd ...
* Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure ** Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials ** Subcommittee on Highways and Transit


Electoral history

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 1996, write-ins received 7 votes. In 1998, Wayne J. Wohlfert received 18 votes. *Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2002, James (Jim) Kell Jeffries received 64 votes.


See also

*
List of African-American United States representatives The United States House of Representatives has had 156 elected African-American members, of whom 150 have been representatives from U.S. states and 6 have been delegates from U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. The House of Represent ...
*
List of United States Congress members who died in office There are several lists of United States Congress members who died in office. These include: * List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899) *List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–1949) *List o ...
*
Women in the United States House of Representatives Women have served in the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber, since the 1916 election of Republican Jeannette Rankin from Montana, the first woman in Con ...


References


External links

*
Profile
at
SourceWatch The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) is a progressive nonprofit watchdog and advocacy organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. CMD publishes ExposedbyCMD.org, SourceWatch.org, and ALECexposed.org. History CMD was founded in 1993 by progr ...

Julia Carson for Congress
campaign website * {{DEFAULTSORT:Carson, Julia 1938 births 2007 deaths Deaths from lung cancer Democratic Party Indiana state senators Democratic Party members of the Indiana House of Representatives Politicians from Indianapolis Politicians from Louisville, Kentucky Women in Indiana politics Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery Baptists from Kentucky Female members of the United States House of Representatives Deaths from cancer in Indiana Women state legislators in Indiana African-American members of the United States House of Representatives African-American women in politics Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana 20th-century American politicians African-American state legislators in Indiana 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians Kentucky women in politics 20th-century Baptists 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American politicians 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American politicians