Curt Anderson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Curt Anderson
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| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 43rd district |
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| In office January 8, 2003 – January 11, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Ken Montague, Michael Dobson |
| Succeeded by | Redistricting |
| Constituency | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 44th district |
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| In office January 12, 1983 – January 10, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Torey Brown, Frank Robey |
| Succeeded by | Ann Marie Doory |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Curtis Stovall Anderson
October 12, 1949 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Divorced |
| Relations | Shani Davis (cousin) |
| Children | Ambre Anderson, Curtis Ian, Damien, Christian |
| Residences | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Curtis Stovall Anderson (born October 12, 1949) is an American politician and lawyer. He used to be a journalist on TV. He was first chosen to be a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1983. This is a group of people who make laws for the state of Maryland.
He led the group of delegates from Baltimore City. He also used to lead the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, which is a group of Black lawmakers. After serving for 12 years, he was elected again in 2002. He worked as a delegate until he retired in 2023. He also helped choose presidential candidates for the Democratic Party in 1992 (for Bill Clinton) and 2008 (for Barack Obama).
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About Curt Anderson
Anderson was born on October 12, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Leonard and Jean Anderson. In 1952, his family moved to Baltimore. His father worked at Morgan State University.
Anderson's parents divorced in 1957. He and his two sisters were raised by their mother.
His School Days
Anderson went to elementary schools in Baltimore and Glencoe, Illinois. In 1964, he started at Baltimore City College. He was the captain of the football and track teams there. He even won a scholarship to Rutgers University.
At Rutgers, he studied political science. He played on the freshman and varsity football teams. He also played on the freshman track team. In 1969, he left Rutgers.
In 1973, he went to Morgan State University. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science there. He also played on the famous "Ten Bears" lacrosse team. This was the only Black college lacrosse team in America. Later, in 1982, he went to University of Baltimore Law School. He earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, there.
His Jobs Before Politics
TV Journalist
Before he became a politician, Anderson was a news anchor. He worked at TV channels WMAR-TV and WBAL-TV in Baltimore. WBAL hired him in 1976 as a reporter. He often covered news about the state government and Baltimore City Hall.
He also did special stories. In 1978, he even boxed a round with the famous boxer Muhammad Ali for a story. In 1980, WMAR-TV hired him to be their weekend news anchor. He reported on big events like the Cuban refugees coming to Pennsylvania. In 1982, he left WMAR-TV after a worker strike.
Anderson decided not to move his family for new jobs. He stayed in Baltimore. He then decided to run for the Maryland House of Delegates while also going to law school.
Working as a Lawyer
Anderson finished law school in 1987. He passed the Maryland Bar Exam in 1988. This allowed him to become a lawyer. He joined a law firm called Murphy and Associates that same year. He worked there as a criminal defense attorney.
In 1996, he started his own law practice. He has helped many people in courts across Maryland. He even argued a case in front of the highest court in Maryland, the Supreme Court of Maryland.
His Time as a Lawmaker
In 1982, Anderson won a spot in the House of Delegates. He was sworn in during January 1983. He was assigned to the House Ways and Means committee, which deals with money and taxes.
After five years, Anderson was chosen to lead the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. As their leader, he helped pass Maryland's Minority Business Enterprise Act. This law helped businesses owned by minorities get more chances to work on big state projects. For example, nearly 20% of the work to build Oriole Park at Camden Yards went to minority-owned businesses.
In 1993, Anderson joined a committee that planned the 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Baltimore. He was the only African-American on the 12-person team. He convinced the group to invite James Earl Jones to speak before the National Anthem. The HBCU Morgan State University Choir sang with him. The committee had planned to invite a different singer. Anderson also helped organize a step show competition for Black fraternities at the stadium.
After 12 years in the House, Anderson tried to run for the Maryland Senate in 1994. But he did not win the election. He then worked as a lawyer for the next 8 years.
In 2002, he ran for the House of Delegates again. He won, but it was a very close race. In 2006, he worked with other delegates to win re-election.
In 2018, there were some questions about Delegate Anderson's actions. The Ethics Committee of the General Assembly looked into the matter. He was still re-elected, but by a very small number of votes. After the election, the Ethics Committee said he needed special training. The Speaker of the House also removed him from his leadership roles.
In May 2020, the new Speaker of the House, Adrienne A. Jones, asked Anderson to join a special group. This group worked on making big changes to Maryland's police laws.
Against Slot Machines
Since 2003, Anderson has been known for being against slot machines in Maryland. He organized protests and wrote newspaper articles. He also spoke on local radio and TV stations. He wanted to stop gambling from coming into Maryland.
Even though the Governor at the time, Robert Ehrlich, strongly supported slots, Anderson and his fellow lawmakers stopped the bill. A bill to allow slots never passed in the House of Delegates. In 2005, different versions of the slots bill passed in both parts of the government. In 2007, the new Governor, Martin O'Malley, thought slots might help bring in money. But Anderson remained strongly against bringing slots to Maryland.
Committees and Groups
Anderson has been part of many important groups and committees:
- 2020: He was asked to join a group to improve police practices in Maryland.
- 2016–2019: He was on the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission.
- 2015: He led a group looking into public safety and police practices.
- 2014–2015: He studied if Baltimore police officers should wear body cameras.
- 2012–2014: He was on a group that looked at how poor people get lawyers in criminal cases.
- 2012–2014: He led a group that studied the rules for owners of pit bulls.
- 2009–2016: He was on the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Board.
- 2003–2019: He served on the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy.
- 2000–2010: He was on the Board of Directors for the Northwood Baseball League.
- 1989–1995: He was on the Governor's Commission on Maryland Military Monuments.
- 1978–1982: He was on the Board of Trustees for Provident Hospital in Baltimore.
Awards
- 2008: Legislator of the Year - Office of the Maryland Public Defender
- 2009: Humanitarian of the Year - Mayland Restorative Justice Initiative
- 2010: Named one of the Most Influential Maryland Legislators (Top 20)
- 2010: Legislator of the Year - Maryland Fraternal Order of Police
- 2011: Alumnus of the Year (shared) - Baltimore City College
- 2013: Put into the Baltimore City College Hall of Fame
