Carol Moseley Braun facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carol Moseley Braun
Official portrait, 2024
Chair of the United States African Development Foundation
Incumbent
Assumed office August 3, 2024
President	Joe Biden Donald Trump
Preceded by	Jack Leslie
United States Ambassador to New Zealand
In office December 15, 1999 – March 1, 2001
President	Bill Clinton George W. Bush
Preceded by	Joe Beeman
Succeeded by	Charles Swindells
United States Ambassador to Samoa
In office February 8, 2000 – March 1, 2001
President	Bill Clinton George W. Bush
Preceded by	Joe Beeman
Succeeded by	Charles Swindells
United States Senator from Illinois
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	Alan Dixon
Succeeded by	Peter Fitzgerald
Cook County Recorder of Deeds
In office December 1, 1988 – December 1, 1992
Preceded by	Harry Yourell
Succeeded by	Jesse White
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office January 5, 1979 – December 1, 1988
Preceded by	Robert E. Mann
Succeeded by	Donne Trotter
Constituency	24th district (1979–1983) 25th district (1983–1988)
Personal details
Born	Carol Elizabeth Moseley (1947-08-16) August 16, 1947 (age 77) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Michael Braun ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1986)​
Children	1
Education	University of Illinois at Chicago (BA) University of Chicago (JD)

Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun (born August 16, 1947) is an American diplomat, politician, and lawyer. She made history by representing Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999.

Before becoming a senator, Moseley Braun served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1979 to 1988. She was also the Cook County Recorder of Deeds from 1988 to 1992. In 1992, she won the election to the U.S. Senate. She served one term and then lost her re-election bid in 1998.

After her time in the Senate, Moseley Braun became the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa from 1999 to 2001. She also ran for president in 2004, seeking the Democratic nomination. In 2010, she ran for mayor of Chicago.

Moseley Braun was the first African-American woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate. She was also the first African-American U.S. senator from the Democratic Party. Plus, she was the first female U.S. senator from Illinois.

In 2023, President Joe Biden chose her to be the chair of the board for the United States African Development Foundation. She started this role in April 2024.

Early Life and Education

Carol Elizabeth Moseley was born in Chicago, Illinois. She went to public and Catholic schools in Chicago. Her father, Joseph J. Moseley, was a police officer. Her mother, Edna A. (Davie), worked as a medical technician. Both her parents were Catholic, and she was raised in that faith.

Her family lived in a middle-class neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. When she was a teenager, her parents separated, and she lived with her grandmother.

Moseley started college at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. She later studied political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, graduating in 1969. She then earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1972.

In 1973, she married Michael Braun, whom she met in law school. They had one son, Matthew, in 1977. Their marriage ended in 1986.

Moseley Braun worked as a lawyer for the United States Attorney's office in Chicago from 1973 to 1977. She focused on civil and environmental law. Her work earned her a special award from the Attorney General.

Early Political Career

Moseley Braun was first elected to public office in 1978. She became a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. She was the first African-American woman to serve as an assistant majority leader there.

As a state representative, she became known for supporting important social issues. For example, in 1984, she suggested pausing the use of the death penalty in Illinois. She also successfully sued the state to help African-American and Hispanic citizens get fair representation. When she left the state legislature, her colleagues called her "the conscience of the House."

In 1988, she was elected Cook County Recorder of Deeds. This job involves keeping important public records. She held this position for four years.

U.S. Senator from Illinois

Becoming a Senator

Moseley Braun in 1993

Carol Moseley Braun won the Democratic primary election in 1992. On November 3, 1992, she made history. She became the first African American woman elected to the United States Senate. She defeated Republican Richard S. Williamson. She was also the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois. And she was the first African American elected to the U.S. Senate as a Democrat.

Moseley Braun served one term as a senator. She lost her re-election campaign in 1998 to Republican Peter Fitzgerald.

Her Time in the Senate

Moseley Braun greeting President Bill Clinton in March 1993

Female Senators of the Democratic Party, 1993. Top row (L-R): Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Bottom row: Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Moseley Braun was the first African American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. She was the only African American in the Senate during her time there. She was also the first woman to serve on the Senate Finance Committee, which deals with money matters.

She was known as a liberal Democrat. But she had some balanced views on money issues. She voted for the 1993 budget plan. She also voted against welfare reform laws in 1996. However, on other topics, she was more conservative. She voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). She also supported laws to reform lawsuits.

On social issues, Moseley Braun was more liberal. She voted against the death penalty. She also supported gun control measures. She was one of only a few senators to vote against the Communications Decency Act. She also voted against the Defense of Marriage Act.

In 1993, Moseley Braun helped change a rule in the U.S. Senate. Before then, women were not allowed to wear pants on the Senate floor. Moseley Braun and Senator Barbara Mikulski wore pants to challenge this rule. Soon after, the rule was changed to allow women to wear pants with a jacket.

In 1993, Moseley Braun made headlines for stopping a patent renewal. The United Daughters of the Confederacy wanted to renew a patent for a design that included the Confederate flag. This flag is a symbol of slavery and racism. Moseley Braun argued strongly against it. She said the flag "has no place in our modern times." Her powerful speech convinced the Senate to reject the patent renewal.

U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa

Ambassadorial portrait

On October 8, 1999, President Clinton chose Moseley Braun to be the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. The Senate approved her nomination. She served in these roles until 2001.

2004 Presidential Campaign

Moseley Braun campaign logo

In January 2003, Carol Moseley Braun decided not to run for her old Senate seat. Instead, on February 18, 2003, she announced she would run for president. She wanted to become the Democratic Party's nominee. She said, "It's time to take the 'men only' sign off the White House door."

Moseley Braun campaigning in Iowa

Many people thought her campaign was a long shot. She struggled to raise money compared to other candidates. Her campaign was mostly run by volunteers.

Moseley Braun supported a single-payer healthcare system. This means the government would pay for everyone's healthcare. She also spoke out against the Iraq War. She criticized President George W. Bush for going to war without enough support from the United Nations. She also worried about the rising national debt.

She believed the U.S. should fight terrorism by helping countries become more stable. She wanted to restore good relationships with other countries. She also called for more funding for childcare and education. She opposed school voucher programs.

Moseley Braun also wanted the U.S. to lead in protecting the environment. She supported the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. She wanted the U.S. to invest in clean energy. She also opposed drilling for oil in protected areas like Alaska.

Her campaign focused on getting support from African-American and female voters. She never polled higher than single digits. On January 15, 2004, she dropped out of the race. She then supported Howard Dean.

2011 Campaign for Mayor of Chicago

Moseley Braun campaign logo

Sign for Moseley Braun's mayoral campaign

In November 2010, Chicago's mayor, Richard M. Daley, announced he would not seek re-election. Carol Moseley Braun then announced she would run for mayor of Chicago in 2011. Other strong African-American candidates, Danny Davis and James Meeks, left the race and supported her. This made her the main African-American candidate.

However, her campaign faced many challenges. She struggled to raise money. She raised about $705,000, while Rahm Emanuel raised over $15 million. She could only afford to run one television ad. She also did not get much financial help from African-American politicians or community leaders.

Moseley Braun's campaign also had internal problems. She missed interviews and had trouble explaining past financial issues. In a debate, she made a controversial comment about another candidate. This comment hurt her campaign.

As a candidate, Moseley Braun did not want the city to have an elected school board. She also criticized Rahm Emanuel's tax ideas. She argued they would not help poorer Chicagoans. She emphasized her government experience and her ties to the city's black community.

On February 22, 2011, Moseley Braun finished fourth out of six candidates. She received about nine percent of the vote.

Later Political Activities

In 2016, Moseley Braun supported Donna Edwards for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. In the 2019 Chicago mayoral election, she supported Toni Preckwinkle. In the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, she supported Brandon Johnson.

In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Moseley Braun supported Joe Biden. She traveled to different states to campaign for him. At the 2020 Democratic National Convention, she announced Illinois' votes. After Biden won, she expressed interest in becoming his Secretary of the Interior. She also wanted another role in his government. Biden chose someone else for that position.

When Biden decided not to run for president in 2024, Moseley Braun supported Vice President Harris's campaign.

United States African Development Foundation

Official portrait, 2024

In January 2023, President Biden nominated Moseley Braun for a new role. She was chosen to be a member and chair of the board of directors for the United States African Development Foundation. Her nomination was confirmed on March 8, 2024. She was sworn in as board member and chair in April 2024. Her term on the board will last until September 2029.

Work Outside Government

In 2005, Moseley Braun started a company called Good Food Organics. This company sold organic products. The company was no longer active by 2019.

In November 2016, Moseley Braun became a visiting professor. She taught political science at Northwestern University.

Moseley Braun has written a book about her life and political journey. It is called Trailblazer: Perseverance in Life and Politics. It is planned to be published in January 2026.

Personal Life

Moseley Braun speaking in Chicago in 2019

In April 2007, Moseley Braun was attacked by a mugger. She resisted, fell, and broke her wrist. A college student chased the mugger away. The mugger was later caught and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In 2012, it was reported that her home was facing foreclosure. This means she was at risk of losing her home because she had not made mortgage payments. She sold her house for less than she owed on the loan.

Electoral History

1988 Cook County Recorder of Deeds

1992 United States Senate election in Illinois

1998 United States Senate election in Illinois

2004 Democratic Party presidential primaries

2011 Chicago mayoral election

See Also

• Black women in American politics
• List of African-American United States senators
• Women in the United States Senate

Images for kids

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  Moseley Braun speaking in Chicago in 2019