Hansen Clarke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hansen Clarke
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 13th district |
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| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick |
| Succeeded by | Gary Peters (Redistricting) |
| Member of the Michigan Senate from the 1st district |
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| In office January 1, 2003 – December 31, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Young |
| Succeeded by | Coleman Young II |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 7th district |
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| In office January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Ray Murphy |
| Succeeded by | Virgil Smith Jr. |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 16th district |
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| In office January 1, 1991 – December 31, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Juanita Watkins |
| Succeeded by | Richard Young |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Molik Hashim
March 2, 1957 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Cornell University (BFA) Georgetown University (JD) |
Hansen Hashim Clarke (born Molik Hashim on March 2, 1957) is an American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Michigan from 2011 to 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Before becoming a U.S. Representative, Clarke was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. He was also the first U.S. Congressman with Bangladeshi family roots.
In 2010, Clarke won an election to become a U.S. Representative. He defeated the person who held the seat before him. However, in 2012, the election districts changed. This meant he had to run against another sitting Congressman, Gary Peters. Clarke did not win that election and left Congress in January 2013. He tried to win back a seat in 2014 but was not successful.
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Early Life and Education
Hansen Clarke, originally named Molik Hashim, was born in Detroit, Michigan. His father came from Bangladesh, and his mother was African-American. He grew up in the eastern part of Detroit.
Clarke's father passed away when he was eight years old. His mother worked hard as a crossing guard to support their family. He attended Cass Technical High School and later graduated from The Governor's Academy. This was a boarding school in Massachusetts.
Clarke went to Cornell University and earned a degree in fine arts. While there, he became interested in helping the public. He was even elected to the Cornell University Board of Trustees by his fellow students. Later, he earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1987.
Before running for office, Clarke worked for Wayne County. He also served as a top assistant to U.S. Representative John Conyers.
Serving in Michigan
Hansen Clarke spent many years working in the Michigan state government.
Michigan House of Representatives
Clarke was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1990. He served there again from 1998 to 2002.
Michigan Senate
After his time in the House, Clarke was elected to the Michigan Senate in 2002. He was re-elected in 2006. In the State Senate, he worked on important committees. These included committees for money decisions, health policy, and business and tourism.
Running for Mayor
In 2005, Clarke ran for Mayor of Detroit. He was not successful in this election.
U.S. House of Representatives
Hansen Clarke became a U.S. Representative in 2011. He focused on helping the people of Michigan.
Winning a Seat in Congress
In 2010, Hansen Clarke won the Democratic primary election for Michigan's 13th District. This was a big win because he defeated the person who had held the seat for a long time. In the main election, he easily won against his opponent. This made him one of the few Americans of South Asian background to serve in Congress.
Leaving Congress
In 2012, Michigan's election districts were changed. This meant that much of Clarke's old district became the 14th District. He decided to run in this new district. However, he faced another Congressman, Gary Peters, in the primary election. Peters won the election, and Clarke left Congress in January 2013.
Clarke tried to win back a seat in Congress in 2014. The seat was open because Gary Peters was running for the U.S. Senate. However, Clarke was defeated in the primary election by Brenda Lawrence.
What He Did in Congress
While in Congress, Clarke worked on several important issues:
- Helping Detroit: He pushed for more money to be invested in the city of Detroit. This helped bring millions of dollars in federal aid to the city.
- Community Support: He helped get more funding for programs that improve nutrition for families. He also worked to provide housing for homeless veterans. Clarke also supported local police, fire, and emergency medical teams.
- Student Loans: Clarke wrote a bill called the Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012. This bill aimed to help millions of Americans by reducing their student loan debt. Many people supported this idea.
- Stopping Foreclosures: He worked to help families keep their homes. He proposed a bill to pause the foreclosure process. This bill would also help reduce mortgage payments for struggling homeowners.
- Literacy and Jobs: Clarke worked to improve reading skills, especially for African-American and Hispanic men. He also introduced a bill to prevent unfair discrimination against job applicants with certain criminal backgrounds. This is sometimes called "Ban the Box" legislation.
Clarke was a member of several important groups in Congress. These included the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Committees He Served On
While in the U.S. House of Representatives, Clarke served on these committees:
- Committee on Homeland Security
- Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
- Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications
- Committee on Science, Space and Technology
- Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
- Subcommittee on Research and Science Education
Personal Life
Hansen Clarke is married to Choi Palms-Cohen. They got married in 2007. They live in Detroit, where Clarke grew up. Clarke was raised as a Muslim but later became a Catholic.
See also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
