Carrie Meek, pioneering Black former congresswoman, dies

2 years ago 370

Steve Cannon/AP

Former senator, Carrie Meek cracks up Betty Castor, near arsenic she recalls her clip serving successful the legislature connected legislature reunion time connected Thursday March 20, 2008 successful Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon)

Posted at 7:18 AM, Nov 29, 2021

and past updated 2021-11-29 08:18:52-05

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Former Florida congresswoman Carrie Meek has died astatine the property of 95.

Meek was a Democrat and 1 of the archetypal Black Floridians elected to Congress since Reconstruction.

She was the grandchild of a enslaved and a sharecropper’s daughter.

In Congress, Meek championed affirmative action, economical opportunities for the mediocre and efforts to bolster ideology successful and easiness migration restrictions connected Haiti, the birthplace of galore of her constituents.

She retired successful 2003 aft 5 terms. Her son, Kendrick Meek, succeeded her and held the spot until 2011.

Family spokesperson Adam Sharon said successful a connection that Meek died astatine her location successful Miami connected Sunday aft a agelong illness.