Bonnie Watson Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bonnie Watson Coleman
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Official portrait, 2014
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 12th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Rush Holt Jr. |
| Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly | |
| In office January 12, 2006 – January 12, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph J. Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Cryan |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 15th district |
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| In office January 13, 1998 – January 3, 2015 Serving with Reed Gusciora
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| Preceded by | Shirley Turner |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Maher Muoio |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bonnie M. Watson
February 6, 1945 Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
William Coleman
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent | John S.Watson |
| Education | Rutgers University Thomas Edison State University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website |
Bonnie M. Watson Coleman, born on February 6, 1945, is an American politician. She serves as a U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 12th congressional district. She has held this position since 2015.
As a member of the Democratic Party, she previously worked in the New Jersey General Assembly. She was an Assemblywoman from 1998 to 2015. Watson Coleman made history as the first African-American woman to represent New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives.
She was born in Camden, New Jersey. She attended Rutgers University and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Thomas Edison State University in 1985. Before becoming a representative, she worked for the New Jersey state government. She held important roles in civil rights and transportation departments. From 2006 to 2010, she was the Majority Leader in the New Jersey General Assembly.
In 2014, Watson Coleman ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. She won the election and became the first African-American woman from New Jersey to serve in Congress. In the House, she is part of groups like the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus. She also helped start the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls in 2016.
Her work in the Assembly included making changes to criminal justice laws. She also worked to expand paid family leave. In Congress, she introduced the CROWN Act. This law aims to stop discrimination based on hair texture. She also supports laws to improve health coverage for pregnant women.
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Early Life and Education
Bonnie Watson Coleman was born in Camden, New Jersey, on February 6, 1945. She finished high school at Ewing High School in 1963.
She worked for the New Jersey state government for over 28 years. She started her career in the New Jersey State Division on Civil Rights. Later, she became the first director of the Office of Civil Rights in the New Jersey Department of Transportation. In 1980, she joined the Department of Community Affairs. There, she was an assistant commissioner, overseeing divisions like aging and community resources. She earned her college degree from Thomas Edison State College in 1985.
In 1994, she worked with her father, John S. Watson. He was also a politician in the New Jersey General Assembly. They started a company together, but her father passed away in 1996.
Watson Coleman also served on several important boards. She was on the Governing Boards Association of State Colleges. She also served on the Ewing Township Planning Board. She was a trustee for Stockton University and even served as its chair. She has received special honorary degrees from several colleges.
Serving in the New Jersey General Assembly
In 1998, Bonnie Watson Coleman decided to run for the New Jersey General Assembly. This was for the 15th district, the same one her father had represented. She and fellow Democrat Reed Gusciora won the election. She served this district until 2015. The district included Trenton and parts of Mercer and Hunterdon counties.
In 2002, she became the first African American woman to lead the state's Democratic Party. She was the chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee until 2006. From 2006 to 2010, Watson Coleman served as the Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly.
During her time in the Assembly, she helped pass important laws. These included increasing the minimum wage. She also supported the Paid Family Leave Act. This law helps people take time off work to care for family. She also worked on protecting people from identity theft. She also focused on making changes to the criminal justice system.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Congresswoman
In early 2014, Congressman Rush Holt announced he would not run for reelection. Bonnie Watson Coleman then decided to run for his seat in New Jersey's 12th congressional district. She won the Democratic primary election on June 3.
In the general election on November 4, she won with 60.9% of the votes. This victory was very important. It made her the first African-American woman ever elected to represent a New Jersey district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
She ran for reelection in 2016 and won again. She also won her reelection campaigns in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. Each time, she received a strong majority of the votes.
Key Work in Congress
Watson Coleman is known as a "progressive" politician. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. This group works on issues like healthcare, climate change, and economic fairness.
In her first term, she worked on a law to study and reduce risks from drones. This law was passed by the House. She also introduced the Healthy MOM Act. This act would allow pregnant women to get or change their health insurance. She also proposed a law to require ID for buying ammunition online.
In 2016, she helped create the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls. This group focuses on issues affecting black women and girls. In 2017, she introduced a law to stop discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. She also worked to end contracts with private prisons.
In 2021, she introduced the CROWN Act. This law aims to stop discrimination against people based on their hair texture. The bill passed the House but did not become a law yet. It was brought back in 2024. She also sponsored a law to create a special coin. This coin would celebrate America's 250th anniversary in 2026. She has also supported a ceasefire resolution for the Israel-Hamas War.
Committees and Groups
Watson Coleman is a member of important committees in Congress. She serves on the Committee on Appropriations. This committee decides how the government spends money. She is also part of subcommittees that deal with labor, health, education, housing, and transportation.
She is a co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls. She also co-chairs the America 250 Caucus. Other groups she is a member of include:
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment
- Medicare for All Caucus
- Blue Collar Caucus
Personal Life and Health
In 1972, Bonnie Watson Coleman married Jim Carter and they had one son. They later divorced. In 1995, she married William Coleman. He has two sons from a previous marriage. She is a Baptist and lives in Ewing Township.
Watson Coleman has spoken about the importance of second chances. She sponsored a law in New Jersey that helps people with past criminal histories find jobs. This law prevents employers from asking about criminal history on job applications for certain jobs. She believes this helps people get back on their feet.
In 2018, Watson Coleman had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. In January 2021, she tested positive for COVID-19. In June 2024, she had back surgery for a condition called lumbar spinal stenosis.
Images for kids
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Election results for the 15th legislative district in 2013.
