Ken Harris (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kenneth N. Harris, Sr.
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| 4th District Baltimore City Council | |
| In office 1999–2007 |
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| Preceded by | (new district) |
| Succeeded by | William Henry |
| Constituency | Northeast Baltimore |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 17, 1963 Baltimore, Maryland |
| Died | September 20, 2008 (aged 45) Baltimore, Maryland |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Annette |
| Children | Nicole, Kenneth, Jr. |
| Residences | Baltimore, Maryland |
Kenneth N. Harris, Sr. (born July 17, 1963 – died September 20, 2008) was an American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He served on the Baltimore City Council from 1999 to 2007. He represented the 4th Council District in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Early Life and Education
Ken Harris was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 17, 1963. He grew up in the Park Heights neighborhood. Ken focused on his education from a young age. He graduated from Dunbar Senior High School. He was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of their baseball team in 1981.
Even though the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team drafted him, Ken chose to go to college. He attended Morgan State University. On August 25, 1985, he married Annette Barnes. They had two children, Nicole and Kenneth Jr.
Career Before Politics
In 1989, Ken Harris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Morgan State University. After college, he worked for companies like Care First Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Later, he became a director at the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. He also worked as an executive at Comcast.
Ken was very involved in his community. He served as President of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at Leith Walk Elementary School. He also coached baseball in the Northwood Baseball League.
Serving on the Baltimore City Council
Ken Harris was elected to the Baltimore City Council in 1999. He represented the fourth district, which is in North-Central Baltimore. As a council member, he helped make decisions for the city.
He often visited city schools to give motivational speeches. He talked to young people about how to succeed in life. In 2005, he started a program called "Bridge to Manhood." This program brought successful African-American men into schools. They talked with boys about overcoming challenges. Ken was also a leader in making a citywide smoking ban to protect people from secondhand smoke.
Committee Work
On the City Council, Ken Harris had important roles. He led the Education, Housing, Health, and Human Services Committee. He was also part of the Land Use and Transportation Committee. He chaired the Highways and Franchise Subcommittee. These committees helped manage different parts of Baltimore.
Campaign for City Council President
In 2007, Ken Harris decided to run for President of the Baltimore City Council. This is a very important leadership role in the city government. He started his campaign on January 29, 2007.
He received support from important people. These included United States Senator Ben Cardin. The Baltimore Afro-American newspaper also supported him. However, his campaign did not gain enough votes. He received 11 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary election. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake eventually won the election.
Passing Away
Kenneth N. Harris, Sr. passed away on September 20, 2008, in Baltimore. Many people attended his funeral. Over 1,500 people came to honor him. This included Governor Martin O'Malley and Senator Ben Cardin. All state flags in Maryland were flown at half-staff on the day of his funeral.
