Frederica Wilson
Encyclopedia
Frederica Wilson is the U.S. Representative
for Florida's 17th congressional district
. She is a member of the Democratic Party
. The seat was left open as the incumbent Kendrick Meek
ran for a seat in the Senate.
. She is of Bahamian descent. Wilson earned her bachelor of science degree from Fisk University
in 1963, and her master of science degree from the University of Miami
in 1972. She served as the Principal of Skyway Elementary School in Miami. She served on the Miami-Dade County School Board
from 1992 through 1998.
from 1999 to 2002. She then represented the 33rd District in the Florida Senate
from 2003 to 2010. She served as Minority Pro Tempore in 2006, then Minority Lead Whip
.
An early supporter, in 2008 she voted for Barack Obama
and Joe Biden
as one of Florida's presidential electors.
ran for the United States Senate election in Florida, 2010
, and won the primary on August 24, 2010, Wilson ran for the Florida's 17th congressional district
, and won the Democratic nomination to face her Republican challenger to win Meek's seat. On November 2, 2010 she won in the general election without electoral opposition.
Wilson is an avid wearer of hats. She has a large collection that includes hundreds of hats of all different varieties. She wears one every day to honor her late grandmother. She has asked House Speaker John Boehner
to waive the rule prohibiting the wearing of hats on the floor of the House of Representatives, a rule in place since 1837.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for Florida's 17th congressional district
Florida's 17th congressional district
Florida's 17th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in South Florida, the majority African American district includes the southern parts of Broward County and the eastern parts of Miami-Dade County...
. She is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. The seat was left open as the incumbent Kendrick Meek
Kendrick Meek
Kendrick Brett Meek is an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for from 2003 to 2011. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2010 Senate election for the seat of Mel Martinez, but he lost in a three way race to Republican Marco Rubio along with Independent Charlie Crist.-Early life,...
ran for a seat in the Senate.
Early life, education, and career
Wilson was born on November 5, 1942 in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. She is of Bahamian descent. Wilson earned her bachelor of science degree from Fisk University
Fisk University
Fisk University is an historically black university founded in 1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a group of students who performed to earn enough money to save the school at a critical time of financial shortages. They toured to raise funds to...
in 1963, and her master of science degree from the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
in 1972. She served as the Principal of Skyway Elementary School in Miami. She served on the Miami-Dade County School Board
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is a public school district serving Miami-Dade County, Florida. Founded in 1885, it is the largest school district in Florida and the Southeastern United States, and the fourth largest in the United States, with a student enrollment of 380,006 as of July 5, 2010...
from 1992 through 1998.
Florida Legislature
Wilson represented District 104 in the Florida House of RepresentativesFlorida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The House is composed of 120 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 156,677.The House convenes at...
from 1999 to 2002. She then represented the 33rd District in the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
from 2003 to 2010. She served as Minority Pro Tempore in 2006, then Minority Lead Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
.
An early supporter, in 2008 she voted for Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
as one of Florida's presidential electors.
2010 election
When Kendrick MeekKendrick Meek
Kendrick Brett Meek is an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for from 2003 to 2011. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2010 Senate election for the seat of Mel Martinez, but he lost in a three way race to Republican Marco Rubio along with Independent Charlie Crist.-Early life,...
ran for the United States Senate election in Florida, 2010
United States Senate election in Florida, 2010
-Polling:-Results:-Background:Upon Senator Martinez's announcement that he would not run for reelection, early speculation surrounded former Governor Jeb Bush. It was thought that if Bush decided to run, other potential Republican candidates would allow Bush to run uncontested...
, and won the primary on August 24, 2010, Wilson ran for the Florida's 17th congressional district
Florida's 17th congressional district
Florida's 17th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in South Florida, the majority African American district includes the southern parts of Broward County and the eastern parts of Miami-Dade County...
, and won the Democratic nomination to face her Republican challenger to win Meek's seat. On November 2, 2010 she won in the general election without electoral opposition.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
- Committee on Science, Space and Technology
- Subcommittee on Space and AeronauticsUnited States House Science Subcommittee on Space and AeronauticsThe Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics is one of five subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Science and Technology.- Jurisdiction :...
- Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation
- Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
Personal life
Wilson is widowed. She has three children.Wilson is an avid wearer of hats. She has a large collection that includes hundreds of hats of all different varieties. She wears one every day to honor her late grandmother. She has asked House Speaker John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
to waive the rule prohibiting the wearing of hats on the floor of the House of Representatives, a rule in place since 1837.
External links
- Congresswoman Frederica Wilson official U.S. House site
- Frederica Wilson for U.S. Congress official campaign site
- Representative Frederica S. Wilson (1998-2002) official Florida House of Representatives site