Larry Gossett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larry Gossett
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Gossett in 2008
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| Chair of the King County Council | |
| In office January 16, 2013 – January 1, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Ferguson |
| Succeeded by | Larry Phillips |
| In office January 1, 2007 – January 7, 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Phillips |
| Succeeded by | Julia Patterson |
| Member of the King County Council | |
| In office January 1, 1994 – January 8, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Girmay Zahilay |
| Constituency | District 10 (1994–2006) District 2 (2006–2020) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lawrence Edward Gossett
February 21, 1945 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Washington (BA) |
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Lawrence Edward Gossett, born on February 21, 1945, is an American politician and activist. He was a member of the nonpartisan King County Council, which is a group of elected officials who help run King County in Washington state. He represented different areas (called districts) from 1994 to 2020. He also led the council as its chair in 2007 and 2013.
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Larry Gossett's Early Life and Education
Larry Gossett was born in Seattle, Washington. His parents were farmers who moved from Texas. He went to Franklin High School and graduated in 1963. Later, he studied at the University of Washington.
In 1966 and 1967, he volunteered with a program called VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) in Harlem, New York. This experience helped him become more interested in politics and social change.
Larry Gossett's Career and Activism
After returning to Seattle, Gossett helped start the Black Student Union at the University of Washington. He also helped organize similar groups in many high schools and middle schools across Seattle. As a student leader, he played a key role in creating the university's Educational Opportunity Program. This program helped more minority students attend the university.
In 1970, Gossett earned the University of Washington's first-ever degree in African American studies. Even before officially getting his degree, he became the first supervisor of the Black Student Division in the university's Office of Minority Affairs. During the late 1960s, he was known as a young Black leader in Seattle.
Community Organizing and Leadership
Gossett was a former member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a group that worked for civil rights. He worked as a community organizer in Seattle. While still at the University of Washington, he helped with an event where activists occupied a former public school building. This building later became El Centro de la Raza, a community center.
He later left his job at the university. After helping with Charles Royer's successful campaign for mayor in 1977, Gossett worked briefly for the mayor's office. However, he felt this job took him away from his work as an activist. From 1979 to 1993, he was the executive director of the Central Area Motivation Program ("CAMP") in Seattle. He also worked on Jesse Jackson's campaigns for president.
Involvement with the Black Panthers
Larry Gossett has stated that he attended the first meeting of the Black Panther chapter in Seattle. He also went to the funeral of Panther leader Bobby Hutton in 1968. Gossett worked with members of the Black Panther Party on several political actions. He has spoken positively about their impact. In recent years, Gossett has confirmed that he was a member of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party for a long time.
Serving on the King County Council
Gossett was elected to the King County Council in 1993. He ran for re-election several times and was unopposed (meaning no one ran against him) in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015.
Interestingly, Gossett's office in the King County Courthouse is in the same place where he was held in 1968. He was arrested then for taking part in a sit-in at Franklin High School.
After serving six terms, Gossett was defeated by Girmay Zahilay in the 2019 election.
Personal Life
Larry Gossett is Catholic. He is married and has three children.
