Elizabeth Furse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Furse
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Les AuCoin |
| Succeeded by | David Wu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 13, 1936 Nairobi, Kenya Colony (present-day Nairobi, Kenya) |
| Died | April 18, 2021 (aged 84) |
| Political party | Democratic |
Elizabeth Furse (born October 13, 1936 – died April 18, 2021) was an American politician. She was born in Kenya, Africa. Before becoming a politician, she owned a small business and taught at Portland State University.
Elizabeth Furse was a member of the United States House of Representatives. She served from 1993 to 1999. She represented the 1st district of Oregon. As a member of the Democratic Party, she made history. She was the first person born in Africa to become a U.S. citizen and then win an election to the United States Congress.
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Elizabeth Furse's Early Life
Elizabeth Furse was born in Nairobi, Kenya. Her mother was from Canada, and her father was British. Her grandparents were famous: her grandfather was a painter, and her grandmother was a military nurse.
Elizabeth grew up in South Africa. In 1951, she became an activist against apartheid. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation. She joined early protests in Cape Town, South Africa.
In 1956, she moved to England. Later, she moved to the United States. She first lived in Los Angeles, California. There, she helped women in the Watts area. She also worked with César Chávez and the United Farm Workers. This group helped farm workers get better rights.
In 1968, she moved to Seattle, Washington. She became involved in supporting Native American rights. This included their fishing and treaty rights. She became a U.S. citizen in 1972. Two years later, she earned a degree from Evergreen State College.
Helping Native American Tribes
In 1978, Elizabeth Furse moved to Portland, Oregon. She studied law for two years. Then, she decided to focus on helping Native American tribes. She worked hard to get federal recognition for several Oregon tribes.
She successfully convinced the U.S. Congress to recognize tribes like the Coquille, Klamath, and Grand Ronde. This recognition was very important for these communities.
In 1986, she helped start the Oregon Peace Institute. This group teaches people how to solve problems peacefully. They create lessons for schools in Oregon.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Elizabeth Furse was first elected to Congress in 1992. She won against Tony Meeker. That year, many more women were elected to the House of Representatives. The number of women grew from 28 to 47.
In 1994, she won her reelection by a very small number of votes. She was known for being a politician who took risks. In 1996, Elizabeth Furse and Congressman George Nethercutt started the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. This group focuses on issues related to diabetes.
They wrote a law that passed in 1997. This law helped people with diabetes get better coverage for education and supplies through the Medicare program. The Congressional Diabetes Caucus is now the largest health-related group in Congress.
Elizabeth Furse also helped get money for the TriMet Westside MAX Light Rail project. This project extended the light rail system. The plaza at the Sunset Transit Center was named after her.
In 1996, she won her election again. She decided not to run for reelection in 1998. She believed that being a politician was a public service, not a lifelong career.
Other Activities and Contributions
Elizabeth Furse and her partner, John C. Platt, owned a vineyard and winery. It was called Helvetia Vineyards and Winery in Helvetia, Oregon. They started growing grapes in 1982 and opened their winery in 1992.
After leaving Congress in 1999, she became the director of the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University. She also led a project to record interviews with important Native American leaders.
She continued to support Native American causes. She also supported Senator Gordon Smith, a Republican. She said she supported him because they agreed on tribal issues. She admired that he stood up for what he believed in.
In 2014, Elizabeth Furse ran for the Washington County Board of Commissioners. She lost that election. However, she had support from other important politicians.
Death
Elizabeth Furse passed away on April 18, 2021. She was 84 years old. She died at her farm near Hillsboro, Oregon, due to problems from a fall.
See also
In Spanish: Elizabeth Furse para niños
