Cardiss Collins (1931-2013) was one of the longest-serving women of color in the U.S. Congress.
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan. And this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today’s politician was one of the longest-serving women of color in the U.S. Congress. She spent several of her over two decades of service being the only Black woman in the chamber! Let’s talk about Cardiss Collins.
Cardiss Robertson was born on September 24, 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri.
When Cardiss turned ten, her family moved to Detroit, where she attended high school. After graduation, Cardiss moved to Chicago to live with her grandmother and find a job. She worked in a mattress factory before joining the Illinois Department of Labor as a stenographer. At the same time, she also studied accounting at Northwestern University.
In 1958, Cardiss got married to George W. Collins. The couple had a son, Kevin, the following year.
After graduating from college in 1967, Cardiss was promoted to secretary, then became an accountant and auditor for the Illinois Department of Revenue. All the while, she supported her husband’s campaigns for alderman, committeeman, and U.S. Representative. Cardiss also gained her first direct political experience as committeewoman of the 24th Ward Regular Democratic Organization.
In 1970, George won a seat in the U.S. House representing the predominately African American west side of Chicago. He was elected following the death of his predecessor. He served two terms and was particularly passionate about improving the lives of Black people serving in the military.
Shortly after winning an election to serve another term, George died in a plane crash.
Cardiss was devastated by the loss of her husband.
Through her grief, she announced her candidacy to fill her husband’s Congressional seat. She was supported by the city mayor and won the nomination with 84 percent of the vote. She then won the election on June 5, 1973 with 92 percent of the vote. That made Cardiss the first African American woman to represent Illinois in Congress.
Transitioning to her new Congressional role wasn’t easy. She was politically inexperienced and wasn’t confident enough to voice all her opinions right away. She relied on her colleagues to show her the ropes, and she later said, “Once people learned I had something to say, I gained confidence."
Cardiss’s main goal as a Representative was to improve life for people on Chicago’s west side, along with other low income communities and people of color across the country. She always kept the wellbeing of her constituents as her main focus, spending eight days a month in her district to remain accessible. Because of the attention she paid her voters, she won back her seat with comfortable margins for two straight decades.
Throughout her tenure, she would serve on several committees, including the influential Committee on Energy and Commerce. She started serving on the Committee on Government Operations. She participated in two different subcommittees, later working to tighten regulations on the transportation of toxic materials and improve air travel safety.
In 1979, Cardiss was elected president of the Congressional Black Caucus. She was only the second woman to earn this honor. She openly criticized President Jimmy Carter’s record on civil rights, as well as his failure to make Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday. She spent much of her time in Congress defending affirmative action programs and ensuring equal funding and attention to women and people of color.
Cardiss staunchly advocated breast cancer awareness. In 1990, she wrote a law expanding Medicare coverage for elderly and disabled women to receive mammograms. She also designated October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
In 1997, after 12 consecutive terms, Cardiss decided not to run for reelection. She returned to Chicago and later decided to move to Alexandria, Virginia. She passed away on February 3rd, 2013. She was 81 years old.
Cardiss Collins overcame grief and hesitation to speak up and make a positive difference for people in her district and across the country.
All month, we’re talking about Politicians. For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing check out our newsletter Womannica Weekly. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @encyclopediawomannica and follow me directly on twitter @jennymkaplan.
Special thanks to my favorite sister and co-creator, Liz Kaplan.
Talk to you tomorrow!