Brenda Lawrence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brenda Lawrence
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Official portrait, 2018
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 14th district |
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| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Gary Peters |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Brenda Lulenar
October 18, 1954 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
McArthur Lawrence
(m. 1976) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Central Michigan University (BA) |
Brenda Lawrence (born October 18, 1954) is an American politician who retired from public service in 2023. She served as a U.S. Representative for Michigan's 14th congressional district from 2015 to 2023. As a member of the Democratic Party, Lawrence was also the mayor of Southfield, Michigan, from 2001 to 2015. Her congressional district included parts of eastern Detroit and stretched west into Oakland County, covering cities like Farmington Hills, Pontiac, and her hometown of Southfield.
Brenda Lawrence chose not to run for reelection in 2022. She retired from Congress when her fourth term ended in January 2023.
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Early Life and Education
Brenda Lawrence grew up in Detroit, Michigan. She was raised by her grandparents from a young age. She went to local schools and graduated from Detroit's Pershing High School. Later, she earned her bachelor's degree in public administration from Central Michigan University.
Career in Public Service
Brenda Lawrence had a long career before becoming a politician. She worked for the United States Postal Service for 30 years. She started as a letter carrier and later moved into human resources.
Getting Involved in Local Politics
In the early 1990s, Brenda Lawrence was very active in her children's school Parent-Teacher Association. This led her to seek a seat on the Southfield Public Schools Board of Education. She served as president, vice president, and secretary of the board.
Her involvement in local issues grew. In 1997, she was elected to the Southfield City Council. By 1999, she became the council president.
Becoming Mayor of Southfield
In 2001, Brenda Lawrence won the election for mayor of Southfield. She became the city's first African-American and first female mayor. She was reelected in 2005 without anyone running against her.
As mayor, she was asked to speak in Washington D.C. in 2008. She represented U.S. mayors and talked about how the mortgage crisis affected American communities. She also went to Washington to ask Congress for help for the American auto industry.
Lawrence was a delegate for Michigan at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. In 2008, she supported Barack Obama for president. She won a third term as mayor in 2009 and a fourth term in 2013, again without opposition.
Running for Higher Office
Brenda Lawrence also ran for other important political jobs in Michigan.
Oakland County Executive Election (2008)
In 2008, Lawrence ran for Oakland County Executive. She was the only Democratic candidate. She ran against the long-serving Republican, L. Brooks Patterson. She lost the election, but her challenge was seen as the strongest Patterson had faced.
Lieutenant Governor Election (2010)
In 2010, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero chose Brenda Lawrence as his running mate for governor of Michigan. She became the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. They campaigned across the state, focusing on their shared backgrounds as mayors.
However, the 2010 election saw many Republican voters turn out. The Democratic team lost to Republican candidates Rick Snyder and Brian Calley.
Congressional Elections (2012 and 2014)
In 2011, Lawrence decided to run for the newly drawn 14th congressional district. In the 2012 Democratic primary, she faced two other representatives. She came in third, and Gary Peters won the primary and then the general election.
In 2013, Gary Peters announced he would not run for reelection in 2014. Instead, he ran for the U.S. Senate. On January 23, 2014, Brenda Lawrence announced she would run for the 14th district again.
She was the first candidate to submit the necessary signatures. Other candidates included former Congressman Hansen Clarke and State Representative Rudy Hobbs. Lawrence won the Democratic nomination on August 5, 2014, with 36% of the vote. She won the most votes in Oakland County and was competitive in Detroit.
As the Democratic nominee, she faced Christina Barr in the general election. The district usually votes for Democratic candidates. Brenda Lawrence won the election with 78% of the vote.
U.S. House of Representatives
Brenda Lawrence served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023.
Committee Work
While in Congress, Brenda Lawrence worked on several important committees:
- Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: This committee watches how the government spends money and makes sure it's working well.
- House Appropriations Committee: This committee decides how the government's money will be spent. She was part of subcommittees dealing with transportation, housing, urban development, commerce, justice, science, and the environment.
Groups She Joined
Lawrence was also a member of several groups in Congress, called caucuses:
- New Democrat Coalition
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Former Mayors' Caucus
- Medicare for All Caucus
Retirement from Congress
In 2022, Michigan's congressional districts were redrawn. Brenda Lawrence's 14th district was removed. This, along with some family losses, led to her decision. On January 4, 2022, she announced that she would retire from Congress. She was one of many Democrats who chose to retire that year.
Personal Life
Brenda Lawrence was married to McArthur Lawrence, who passed away in 2023. They were high school sweethearts. They had two children and a granddaughter.
Before her political career, Brenda Lawrence worked for the federal government for 30 years at the United States Postal Service. She started as a letter carrier and later worked in human resources management. She retired from the Postal Service in 2008. Her husband was a retiree from Ford Motor Company and a member of the United Auto Workers union.
Images for kids
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Lawrence's freshman Congressional portrait
See also
In Spanish: Brenda Lawrence para niños
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
