Major Owens
Encyclopedia
Major Robert Odell Owens (born June 28, 1936) is a New York
politician and a prominent member of the Democratic Party
. He is also a former Congressman, having represented the state's 11th Congressional district in the United States House of Representatives
. He retired at the end of his term in January 2007 and was succeeded by Yvette Clarke.
Owens was born in Collierville, Tennessee
. He has a bachelor's degree
from Morehouse College
and a master of science
degree from Atlanta University
. Owens was a librarian
before entering politics. He was elected to the New York state Senate in 1974 as a Democrat.
In 1982, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, replacing the retiring Shirley Chisholm
. One of his achievements in the House was the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act
.
Owens represented a very diverse district located within Brooklyn, New York. His district included low income areas of Brownsville
, a large Hasidic area of Crown Heights
, the heavily Caribbean
areas of Flatbush
and East Flatbush
, and the upscale neighborhood of Park Slope.
Although Owens won the Democratic primary
with just 45% of the vote, he was re-elected in 2004 with 94% of the vote. He retired from the House at the end of his term in January 2007. Due to the extreme Democratic lean of his district, there was little surprise that he would be replaced by another Democrat in the 2006 election. Yvette Clarke, who ran against him in the 2004 primary and won the 2006 primary nomination to succeed him, was elected with 89 % of the votes.
Representative Owens was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio
in the United States presidential election, 2004
. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll007.xml
Major Owens was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
.
Owens received an "A" on the Drum Major Institute
's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.
The character Mark Richardson in the popular television program The West Wing is believed to be based on Owens. Richardson plays an African-American Congressman from Brooklyn who looks a lot like Owens.
Owens is nicknamed the "Rappin' Rep" since he writes raps. His rap songs are often political and Progressive in nature.
Owens is also the father of actor Geoffrey Owens
, best known for playing the role of Elvin on The Cosby Show
.
Owens is now a faculty member in the Department of Public Administration at Medgar Evers College
.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
politician and a prominent 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...
. He is also a former Congressman, having represented the state's 11th Congressional district in the United States House of Representatives
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...
. He retired at the end of his term in January 2007 and was succeeded by Yvette Clarke.
Owens was born in Collierville, Tennessee
Collierville, Tennessee
Collierville is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a suburb located in the Memphis metropolitan area. The town had a population of 43,965 at the 2010 census....
. He has a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Morehouse College
Morehouse College
Morehouse College is a private, all-male, liberal arts, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States....
and a master of science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
degree from Atlanta University
Clark Atlanta University
Clark Atlanta University is a private, historically black university in Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 1988 with the consolidation of Clark College and Atlanta University...
. Owens was a librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
before entering politics. He was elected to the New York state Senate in 1974 as a Democrat.
In 1982, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, replacing the retiring Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was an American politician, educator, and author. She was a Congresswoman, representing New York's 12th Congressional District for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. In 1968, she became the first black woman elected to Congress...
. One of his achievements in the House was the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
.
Owens represented a very diverse district located within Brooklyn, New York. His district included low income areas of Brownsville
Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville is a residential neighborhood located in eastern Brooklyn, New York City.The total land area is one square mile, and the ZIP code for the neighborhood is 11212....
, a large Hasidic area of Crown Heights
Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The main thoroughfare through this neighborhood is Eastern Parkway, a tree-lined boulevard designed by Frederick Law Olmsted extending two miles east-west.Originally, the area was known as Crow Hill....
, the heavily Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
areas of Flatbush
Flatbush, Brooklyn
Flatbush is a community of the Borough of Brooklyn, a part of New York City, consisting of several neighborhoods.The name Flatbush is an Anglicization of the Dutch language Vlacke bos ....
and East Flatbush
East Flatbush, Brooklyn
East Flatbush is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The area is part of Brooklyn Community Board 17 Though the borders of East Flatbush are highly subjective, its northern border is roughly at Empire Boulevard and East New York Avenue east of East 91st Street, its southern...
, and the upscale neighborhood of Park Slope.
Although Owens won the Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
with just 45% of the vote, he was re-elected in 2004 with 94% of the vote. He retired from the House at the end of his term in January 2007. Due to the extreme Democratic lean of his district, there was little surprise that he would be replaced by another Democrat in the 2006 election. Yvette Clarke, who ran against him in the 2004 primary and won the 2006 primary nomination to succeed him, was elected with 89 % of the votes.
Representative Owens was one of the 31 who voted in the House to not count the electoral votes from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in the United States presidential election, 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll007.xml
Major Owens was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in the United States Congress with 83 declared members, and works to advance progressive issues and positions....
.
Owens received an "A" on the Drum Major Institute
Drum Major Institute
The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy is a non-profit American progressive public policy institute founded during the Civil Rights Movement...
's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.
The character Mark Richardson in the popular television program The West Wing is believed to be based on Owens. Richardson plays an African-American Congressman from Brooklyn who looks a lot like Owens.
Owens is nicknamed the "Rappin' Rep" since he writes raps. His rap songs are often political and Progressive in nature.
Owens is also the father of actor Geoffrey Owens
Geoffrey Owens
Geoffrey Owens is an American actor. He currently teaches an acting class at HB Studio in New York City.-Roles:...
, best known for playing the role of Elvin on The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
.
Owens is now a faculty member in the Department of Public Administration at Medgar Evers College
Medgar Evers College
Medgar Evers College is a senior college of The City University of New York.Medgar Evers College was officially established in 1970 through cooperation from educators and community leaders in central Brooklyn...
.