Jim Clyburn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Clyburn
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2019
|
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 6th district |
|
| Assumed office January 3, 1993 |
|
| Preceded by | Robin Tallon |
| House Assistant Democratic Leader | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – March 20, 2024 |
|
| Leader | Hakeem Jeffries |
| Preceded by | Katherine Clark (Assistant Speaker) |
| Succeeded by | Joe Neguse |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2019 |
|
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Chris Van Hollen (Assistant to the Leader) |
| Succeeded by | Ben Ray Luján (Assistant Speaker) |
| House Majority Whip | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 |
|
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Steve Scalise |
| Succeeded by | Tom Emmer |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
|
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Roy Blunt |
| Succeeded by | Kevin McCarthy |
| Chair of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| In office January 16, 2006 – January 3, 2007 |
|
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Bob Menendez |
| Succeeded by | Rahm Emanuel |
| Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 16, 2006 |
|
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Bob Menendez |
| Succeeded by | John B. Larson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Enos Clyburn
July 21, 1940 Sumter, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Emily England
(m. 1961; died 2019) |
| Children | 3, including Mignon and Jennifer |
| Education | South Carolina State University (BA) |
| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2024) |
James Enos Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is an American politician. He serves as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th district. He was first elected in 1992 and is now in his 17th term. His district includes many areas with a majority of Black residents, like parts of Columbia and Charleston.
From 2007 to 2023, Clyburn was the third-highest-ranking Democrat in the House. He served as the House Majority Whip when Democrats controlled the House. When Republicans were in control, he was the Assistant Democratic Leader. He was Majority Whip from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. He was also Assistant Democratic Leader from 2011 to 2019 and from 2023 to 2024.
Clyburn played a very important part in the 2020 presidential election. He supported Joe Biden just before the South Carolina Democratic primary. This endorsement helped Biden's campaign gain momentum. Biden then won the Democratic nomination and later the presidency.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Clyburn was born in Sumter, South Carolina. His father, Enos Lloyd Clyburn, was a minister. His mother, Almeta, was a beautician. A distant relative, George W. Murray, was a Republican Congressman from South Carolina in the late 1800s. Murray and other Black politicians opposed the 1895 state constitution. This constitution made it very hard for most African Americans to vote for over 50 years.
Clyburn went to Mather Academy in Camden, South Carolina. He then attended South Carolina State College, now called South Carolina State University. This is a historically black college. He earned a bachelor's degree in history. After college, Clyburn taught at C.A. Brown High School in Charleston.
Early Political Career
Clyburn got involved in politics during the 1969 Charleston hospital strike. After helping to settle protests at the Medical University of South Carolina, he joined St. Julian Devine's campaign. Devine was running for a seat on the Charleston city council. Clyburn created the campaign's slogan, "Devine for Ward Nine."
When Devine won, he became the first African American on the city council since Reconstruction. Clyburn later said this campaign led him into politics. After trying unsuccessfully to join the South Carolina General Assembly, Clyburn moved to Columbia. In 1971, he joined the staff of Governor John C. West.
Governor West offered Clyburn a job as his advisor after reading about his election loss. Clyburn became the first non-white advisor to a governor in South Carolina's history. After the 1968 Orangeburg massacre, where police killed three protesting students, West appointed Clyburn as the state's human affairs commissioner. He held this job until 1992, when he decided to run for Congress.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections and Representation
_(cropped).jpg)
After the 1990 census, South Carolina's voting districts were redrawn. Because of past racial discrimination, the Supreme Court required the 6th district to be a black-majority district. The new 6th district included most of the Black-majority areas near Columbia and Charleston.
Five African American candidates ran for the Democratic nomination. Clyburn won 55% of the vote in the primary election. This meant he didn't need a runoff election. He easily won the general election in November 1992. He became the first African American to represent South Carolina in Congress since 1893. He has been reelected 15 times since then, usually without strong opposition.
For his first 10 terms, Clyburn's district covered a large area. After the 2010 census, the district lines changed again. It moved further south, including more Black-majority areas near Beaufort. This new district remained strongly Democratic. It has been the only safe Democratic district in South Carolina for a long time.
In March 2024, Clyburn announced he would run for reelection. He won reelection in November 2024 with 59.5% of the vote.
South Carolina Redistricting
In 2023, it was reported that Clyburn worked with South Carolina Republicans during the 2020 redistricting process. This process redraws congressional district lines. The new map made it very hard for Democrats to win any congressional seats in South Carolina, except for Clyburn's.
The NAACP challenged this redistricting in court. They said Republicans intentionally moved Black voters into Clyburn’s district. This was done to make a nearby district easier for Republicans to win. A spokesperson for Clyburn denied that he helped Republican gerrymandering. The Supreme Court heard the NAACP's case and sided with the state in 2024.
Party Leadership Roles
Clyburn was elected vice-chairman of the House Democratic Caucus in 2003. This was the third-highest position in the caucus. He became chairman of the House Democratic Caucus in early 2006. This happened after the previous chairman, Bob Menendez, moved to the Senate.
When Democrats won control of the House in the 2006 election, Clyburn was chosen as Majority Whip. This role involves making sure party members vote together. In 2010, Democrats lost their House majority. Clyburn became "Assistant Leader," a new leadership position created for him.
On November 28, 2018, Clyburn was elected to be the House Majority Whip again.
Political Beliefs and Actions
Clyburn is generally seen as a liberal politician. In 2007, one study ranked him as more liberal than 81% of other House members. He calls himself a "progressive" but believes the Democratic Party should be "practical."
Clyburn supports liberal ideas on healthcare, education, workers' rights, and the environment.
Healthcare
In 2009, Clyburn introduced the Access for All Americans Act. This act asked for $26 billion to increase the number of community health centers. These centers provide medical care to people who don't have health insurance or have low incomes. Many health groups support Clyburn's voting record on healthcare.
Education
_(cropped).jpg)
Clyburn has always worked to get more money for education. He has helped secure funding for special education and lower interest rates on federal student loans. He has also supported improving Pell Grant funding, which helps students pay for college. Education groups like the National Education Association rate Clyburn very highly.
Ports
Clyburn has supported funding to expand South Carolina's ports. The goal is to make the ports deeper so larger ships can arrive from the Panama Canal. This helps South Carolina businesses and farmers export goods like soybeans.
Labor
Clyburn has consistently voted to increase the minimum wage. He also supports laws that prevent employers from interfering with workers who want to form unions. Many national labor unions give Clyburn high ratings for his support of workers' rights.
Environment
Clyburn has opposed laws that would increase offshore drilling for oil or natural gas. Instead, he has promoted nuclear energy as a cleaner option than fossil fuels. Environmental groups like the League of Conservation Voters generally view Clyburn positively. However, some environmentalists were upset when he suggested building a bridge across a swampy area.
2004 Presidential Election
Clyburn was one of 31 House Democrats who voted not to count Ohio's electoral votes in the 2004 presidential election. If Ohio's votes had not been counted, the election would have been decided by the House of Representatives.
War in Iraq
In 2007, Clyburn said it would be a "real big problem" for Democrats if a positive report on the Iraq War came out. He meant it would divide the party on whether to continue funding the war.
Bill Clinton Comments
Clyburn remained neutral during the 2008 primary election between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. However, former President Bill Clinton blamed Clyburn for Hillary's loss in the South Carolina primary. Clyburn had voted for Obama. He criticized Bill Clinton's comments comparing Obama's victory to Jesse Jackson's win in 1988. Clyburn felt that Black people were upset by Clinton's remarks.
Impeachments
On December 19, 1998, Clyburn voted against all four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton. On December 18, 2019, Clyburn voted for both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. On January 13, 2021, after the January 6 United States Capitol attack, Clyburn voted for the single article of impeachment against Trump again.
Israel
In January 2017, Clyburn voted against a House resolution that criticized Israeli settlement building in Palestinian territories. He voted to provide Israel with support after the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Same-Sex Marriage
In 1996, Clyburn voted for the Defense of Marriage Act. This act limited federal recognition of marriage to a man and a woman. It also allowed states to ban same-sex marriage.
In 2012, after President Obama supported same-sex marriage, Clyburn also announced his support. He said his earlier views were based on his Christian faith, but he had since "evolved." Clyburn believed that marriage equality should be a nationwide law, not decided state by state. He said, "if you consider this to be a civil right—and I do—I don't think civil rights ought to be left up to a state-by-state approach."
Committee Assignments
On April 2, 2020, Clyburn was chosen to lead the United States House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis.
- Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (2011–2012)
Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Black Caucus
- House Democratic Caucus
- United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Cement Caucus
Presidential Endorsements
.jpg)
Clyburn is considered a very influential politician in South Carolina. He hosts an annual "fish fry" event that presidential candidates often attend.
In the 2004 Democratic primaries, Clyburn first supported Dick Gephardt, then John Kerry. He was one of the 31 House members who voted not to count Ohio's electoral votes in the 2004 election.
Clyburn remained neutral for most of the 2008 presidential primaries. However, he voted for Obama in the South Carolina primary. He officially endorsed Obama on June 3, 2008.
Clyburn supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential campaign.
Clyburn's endorsement of Joe Biden on February 26, 2020, was very important. It happened just three days before the South Carolina primary. Many believe this endorsement changed the direction of the 2020 Democratic primaries. Clyburn's influence with African American voters in South Carolina was key. Before his endorsement, Biden had not won any primaries. After South Carolina, Biden gained momentum and won the nomination and the presidency. Clyburn is now known as a political "kingmaker."
In 2024, Clyburn supported Biden's reelection campaign. He also stated he would support Vice President Kamala Harris if Biden chose not to run again.
Personal Life
.jpg)
Clyburn was married to Emily England Clyburn from 1961 until her death in 2019. They had three daughters. Their oldest daughter, Mignon Clyburn, was appointed to the Federal Communications Commission. Their second daughter, Jennifer Clyburn Reed, was appointed to the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission. Their third daughter, Angela Clyburn, is involved in South Carolina politics. In 2024, Clyburn received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden.
Images for kids
-
Clyburn greeting President Bill Clinton in 1993
-
Clyburn with President Barack Obama as he meets with House leaders in 2009
-
Clyburn (left) at South Carolina State University with President Joe Biden in 2021
-
Clyburn with Nancy Pelosi and U2 lead singer Bono in 2006
-
Clyburn with President Joe Biden in 2022
-
Clyburn with his daughter Mignon in 2013
See also
