Henry Sanders (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Sanders
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| Member of the Alabama Senate from the 23rd district |
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| In office 1983–2018 |
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| Succeeded by | Malika Sanders-Fortier |
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| Born | October 28, 1942 Baldwin County, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Faya Ora Rose Touré |
| Children | 3, including Malika |
| Education | Talladega College (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Henry "Hank" Sanders, born on October 28, 1942, is an American lawyer and politician. He served as a member of the Alabama Senate from 1983 to 2018. He is married to Faya Ora Rose Touré.
Mr. Sanders was the longest-serving chairman of a legislative budget committee in Alabama. He led the Senate Finance & Taxation Committee for four terms, starting in January 1996.
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Early Life and Education
Hank Sanders grew up in Baldwin County, Alabama. He was the second of 13 children born to Ola Mae and Sam Sanders. His mother gave him the nickname "The Rock" because he was always solid, steady, and dependable. This nickname later became a slogan for his political campaigns.
He graduated from Douglasville High School, then attended Talladega College, and later Harvard Law School. After finishing his studies, he started his own law firm. He also became the first African American State Senator from the Alabama Black Belt region.
Becoming a Lawyer
When Hank was twelve, he read about Thurgood Marshall in a magazine. This story inspired him to become a lawyer. He graduated near the top of his high school class in 1960. In college, he won an award for being the "Student who contributed most to Talladega College."
He received special scholarships to study at Boston University and Harvard Summer School. He attended Harvard Law School with a special scholarship for promising young men. While there, he was the President of the Harvard Black Law Students Association. In 2008, Talladega College gave him an honorary doctorate degree.
Career in Law and Politics
After law school, Hank Sanders received fellowships that allowed him to travel to Africa and work with Legal Services in Huntsville, Alabama. In 1971, he co-founded his law firm, Chestnut, Sanders, Sanders, and Pettaway, P.C. At one point, it was one of the largest Black law firms in the country.
His law practice focused on helping people. He worked to help poor and Black communities keep their land. He also protected the rights of citizens and helped build strong government groups.
Community Work
Hank Sanders has helped start or build many important organizations. These include the Alabama New South Coalition, where he is now President Emeritus. He also helped create the 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement and the Alabama Lawyers Association. Other groups he supported are the Black Belt Human Resources, The National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, and the Slavery and Civil War Museum. In 2007, he received an award for his lifelong work from the Federation of Southern Cooperatives.
Serving in the Alabama Senate
Hank Sanders was first elected to the Alabama State Senate in 1983. During his time as a senator, he worked hard on issues important to families. He supported better education, health care, and women's rights. He also worked to remove sales tax from food.
He served as Chairman of the powerful Finance and Taxation Education Committee. He was recognized as an Outstanding Legislator by the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus. His fellow senators also voted him a finalist for the Legislator of the Year Award. In 1999, he received a Nation Builder Award.
To keep people informed, Sanders wrote a weekly column called "Senate Sketches." He also had three weekly radio programs: Sunday School Lesson, Radio Education, and Law Lessons.
In 2010, he spoke out about the importance of voting in the Alabama elections. He shared his strong feelings about not wanting to go backward in time for Alabama.
Author and Speaker
In 2004, Sanders wrote a novel called Death of a Fat Man. In this book, he shared his personal journey with health challenges. The book is written as short letters from a grandfather to his granddaughter. When he started writing, he had difficulty walking. After the book was published, he had double knee replacement surgery in 2008, which helped him walk better.
Besides his novel, Sanders has also been working on another book called The Gift of Struggle. He often speaks to groups, especially young people, to share his experiences and inspire them.
Personal Life
Henry Sanders is married to Faya Ora Rose Touré. They have three children together. He is a member of the Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Selma.
