Margaret Carter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Margaret Carter
President pro tempore of the Oregon State Senate
In office 2005 – August 31, 2009
Preceded by	Lenn Hannon
Succeeded by	Rick Metsger
Member of the Oregon Senate from the 8th, then 22nd district
In office January 8, 2001 – August 31, 2009
Preceded by	Thomas A. Wilde
Succeeded by	Chip Shields
Constituency	portions of Portland and Multnomah County
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 18th district
In office January 12, 1985 – January 13, 1999
Preceded by	Ed Leek
Succeeded by	Deborah Kafoury
Constituency	portions of Portland and Multnomah County
Personal details
Born	Margaret Louise Hunter (1935-12-29) December 29, 1935 (age 89) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Residences	Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Alma mater	Portland State University Oregon State University
Profession	educator, counselor
Website	State Senate website

Margaret Louise Carter (born Hunter; December 29, 1935) is an American politician. She was a member of the Democratic Party. Margaret Carter served in the Oregon Legislative Assembly from 1985 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2009. She made history as the first Black woman elected to Oregon's state legislature.

She first served in the Oregon House of Representatives until 1999. Later, she moved to the Oregon State Senate, serving from 2001 to 2009. In the Senate, she held important roles. She was the President Pro Tempore, which means she helped lead the Senate. She also worked on committees for health and human services. In 2009, she left the Senate to work for the Oregon Department of Human Services.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in Louisiana

Margaret Hunter was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on December 29, 1935. Her parents were Hilton and Emma Hunter. She grew up in a large family with eight brothers and sisters. Her father was a Baptist minister, and her mother worked as a cook at a school.

Margaret was a very good student. She earned a special honor called "salutatorian" in high school. This meant she was the second-highest-ranking student in her graduating class. She received scholarships to attend Grambling State University.

Moving to Oregon and Continuing Education

After a short time at college, Margaret got married and had five daughters. By the time she was 28, she decided to move to Oregon. She arrived by train on December 1, 1967, seeking a new start. In Oregon, she worked different jobs. She later remarried and gained four stepchildren, but that marriage also ended.

In 1970, Margaret decided to go back to school. She enrolled at Portland State University. She earned her bachelor's degree in education in 1972. The next year, in 1973, she earned a master's degree in psychology from Oregon State University. After finishing her studies, she began working as a counselor at Portland Community College.

Political Career and Achievements

Becoming a State Representative

In 1983, leaders from the Republican Party asked Margaret Carter to run for office. They wanted her to run for a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives. Even though the area was mostly Democratic, Margaret ran as a Democrat and won in 1984. She started serving in the legislature in 1985.

This was a very important moment. Margaret Carter became the first African-American woman ever elected to the Oregon Legislative Assembly.

Important Laws and Advocacy

As a state representative, Margaret Carter worked on several key issues. She helped pass a law that stopped Oregon from investing state money in South Africa. At that time, South Africa had a system called apartheid, which was unfair to Black people. Her work helped pressure South Africa to end apartheid.

She also helped pass a law to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a state holiday in Oregon. This honored the civil rights leader. In 1989, she encouraged Black people to join the Urban League of Portland. This organization works for civil rights and economic empowerment for African Americans.

Moving to the State Senate

In 1998, Margaret Carter ran for Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction but did not win. She continued to serve in the Oregon House until January 1999. She could not run again because of term limits, which set a maximum number of terms a person can serve.

After leaving the House, she became the president of the Urban League of Portland in November 1999. She served in this role until May 2002. She also retired from her job at Portland Community College in 1999.

In November 2000, Margaret Carter was elected to the Oregon State Senate. In 2005, she became the President Pro Tempore of the Oregon State Senate. She ran for re-election in 2008 and won without anyone running against her. In 2010, the Oregon Library Association gave her the Legislator of the Year Award.

Later Life and Public Service

In 2009, Margaret Carter resigned from the Oregon Senate. She took a new job at the Oregon Department of Human Services. This department helps people in Oregon with various services. In 2012, she became the director of community engagement for the department.

Images for kids

• 

  Margaret Carter speaking at an event.