Lois DeBerry
Encyclopedia
Lois Marie DeBerry is an American politician who is a member of Tennessee House of Representatives
and former Speaker Pro Tempore of the Tennessee House. She was elected to represent the 91st district, part of Shelby County
, as a Democrat
.
DeBerry was the second African American
woman to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly
and the first woman to be speaker pro tempore of the House.
, on May 5, 1945, the second of the five children of Samuel DeBerry and the former Mary Page. Her father was a self-employed trucker. She grew up in Memphis, graduating from the city's Hamilton High School in 1962.
During the 1960s, Lois DeBerry became engaged in the civil rights
movement. In spite of objections from her parents, she participated in the August 28, 1963, March on Washington, various student sit-in
s, and a Selma to Montgomery march in 1965.
In 1971, she graduated from LeMoyne-Owen College
with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in elementary education.
s working with a client population that was almost entirely African American. She was one of five candidates for the state House of Representatives in the 91st District, which had been newly defined by redistricting after the 1970 census. With support from U.S. Representative Harold Ford, Sr.
, she defeated the four male candidates, and took office in the 88th Tennessee General Assembly
that was convened in 1973.
She has continued to represent the 91st district since 1973. As of 2011 is the longest-serving member of the Tennessee House. In addition to serving on the House committees listed in the following paragraph, she is also Chair of the Special Committee to Study Integration of Ex-Offenders into Mainstream of Society, a member of the Governor's Juvenile Justice Reform Commission, and a member of the Governor's Minority Business Development Advisory Committee.
In the 2007-2008 legislative session she served on the House Calendar and Rules Committee; the House Government Operations Committee; the House Health & Human Resources Committee; the House Rules Committee; the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee; the House Ethics Committee; the House Budget Subcommittee; the House Health Care Facilities Subcommittee; the House Public Health and Family Assistance Subcommittee; the House Elections Subcommittee; the Joint Select Committee on Children and Youth; the Joint Select Oversight Committee on Corrections; and the House Committee to Study School Safety Issues.
Lois DeBerry currently works as an educator. She is President Emeritus
of National Black Caucus of State Legislators. She was the first African-American woman elected to serve in the Tennessee House of Representatives from the city of Memphis, the first chairwoman of the Shelby County Delegation, and the first African-American woman to be elected speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives.
s and domestic partnership
s in Tennessee. In May 1999, she proposed a bill that restricted credit card companies from soliciting on college and university campuses. She has been a close friend of former Vice President Al Gore
for at least 25 years, and she put in his nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention
.
, while celebrating a birthday with Sen. Kathryn I. Bowers
in 2004. DeBerry defended the decision, saying she did nothing wrong, and that she thought the money was a birthday present. As a result of the incident, she stepped down from the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethics.
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
and former Speaker Pro Tempore of the Tennessee House. She was elected to represent the 91st district, part of Shelby County
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
, as a Democrat
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...
.
DeBerry was the second African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
woman to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
and the first woman to be speaker pro tempore of the House.
Early life and education
Lois DeBerry was born in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, on May 5, 1945, the second of the five children of Samuel DeBerry and the former Mary Page. Her father was a self-employed trucker. She grew up in Memphis, graduating from the city's Hamilton High School in 1962.
During the 1960s, Lois DeBerry became engaged in the civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
movement. In spite of objections from her parents, she participated in the August 28, 1963, March on Washington, various student sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
s, and a Selma to Montgomery march in 1965.
In 1971, she graduated from LeMoyne-Owen College
LeMoyne-Owen College
-External links:*...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in elementary education.
Political career
DeBerry became a candidate for public office in 1972 after becoming disillusioned by her experiences working as a counselor in a federally funded project, where she was one of the few African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s working with a client population that was almost entirely African American. She was one of five candidates for the state House of Representatives in the 91st District, which had been newly defined by redistricting after the 1970 census. With support from U.S. Representative Harold Ford, Sr.
Harold Ford, Sr.
Harold Eugene Ford, Sr. was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing the Memphis, Tennessee area for ten terms—from 1975 until his retirement in 1997. He was the first African-American to represent Tennessee in the U.S...
, she defeated the four male candidates, and took office in the 88th Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
that was convened in 1973.
She has continued to represent the 91st district since 1973. As of 2011 is the longest-serving member of the Tennessee House. In addition to serving on the House committees listed in the following paragraph, she is also Chair of the Special Committee to Study Integration of Ex-Offenders into Mainstream of Society, a member of the Governor's Juvenile Justice Reform Commission, and a member of the Governor's Minority Business Development Advisory Committee.
In the 2007-2008 legislative session she served on the House Calendar and Rules Committee; the House Government Operations Committee; the House Health & Human Resources Committee; the House Rules Committee; the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee; the House Ethics Committee; the House Budget Subcommittee; the House Health Care Facilities Subcommittee; the House Public Health and Family Assistance Subcommittee; the House Elections Subcommittee; the Joint Select Committee on Children and Youth; the Joint Select Oversight Committee on Corrections; and the House Committee to Study School Safety Issues.
Lois DeBerry currently works as an educator. She is President Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of National Black Caucus of State Legislators. She was the first African-American woman elected to serve in the Tennessee House of Representatives from the city of Memphis, the first chairwoman of the Shelby County Delegation, and the first African-American woman to be elected speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives.
Personal life
DeBerry married Charles Traughber, chairman of the Tennessee state parole board, in 1981. She has one child from a previous marriage.Political views
Lois DeBerry co-sponsored a bill in May 2005 that would have required parents to volunteer in schools for at least 12 hours per year. She voted in April 2004 for women to be required to wait 24 hours and receive counseling before having an abortion. She voted against a bill in March 2004 that would have banned civil unionCivil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s and domestic partnership
Domestic partnership
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
s in Tennessee. In May 1999, she proposed a bill that restricted credit card companies from soliciting on college and university campuses. She has been a close friend of former Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
for at least 25 years, and she put in his nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
.
Controversies
Rep. Lois DeBerry accepted $200 from an undercover FBI agent posing as a businessman during Operation Tennessee WaltzOperation Tennessee Waltz
Operation Tennessee Waltz was a sting operation set up by federal and state law enforcement agents, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The operation led to the arrest of seven Tennessee state lawmakers and two men identified as "bagmen" in the...
, while celebrating a birthday with Sen. Kathryn I. Bowers
Kathryn I. Bowers
Kathryn Inez Bowers is a Tennessee politician and former member of the Tennessee General Assembly. She served as a Democratic member of the Tennessee Senate representing the 33rd district, which is composed of part of Shelby County, from 2005 until 2006...
in 2004. DeBerry defended the decision, saying she did nothing wrong, and that she thought the money was a birthday present. As a result of the incident, she stepped down from the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethics.