Margaret Carter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Carter
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| President pro tempore of the Oregon State Senate | |
| In office 2005 – August 31, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Lenn Hannon |
| Succeeded by | Rick Metsger |
| Member of the Oregon Senate from the 8th, then 22nd district |
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| In office January 8, 2001 – August 31, 2009 |
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| 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 |
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| In office January 12, 1985 – January 13, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Ed Leek |
| Succeeded by | Deborah Kafoury |
| Constituency | portions of Portland and Multnomah County |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Margaret Louise Hunter
December 29, 1935 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 a very important 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 to be elected to Oregon's state legislature.
She first served in the Oregon House of Representatives until 1999. Then, she moved to the Oregon State Senate from 2001 to 2009. During her time in the Senate, she held important roles. These included President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Vice Chair for Ways and Means. 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
Margaret Hunter was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on December 29, 1935. Her parents were Hilton and Emma Hunter. She grew up with eight brothers and sisters. Her father was a Baptist minister, and her mother was a school cafeteria cook.
Margaret was a very good student. She earned an honor called salutatorian in high school. This honor helped her get scholarships to Grambling State University. She attended Grambling State briefly. Later, she moved to Oregon for a fresh start. She arrived by train on December 1, 1967. She worked many different jobs to support herself and her family.
In 1970, Margaret Carter decided to go back to school. She enrolled at Portland State University. She graduated in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in education. She didn't stop there! In 1973, she earned a master's degree in psychology from Oregon State University. After finishing her studies, she started working as a counselor at Portland Community College.
A Trailblazing Political Career
Margaret Carter's political journey began in 1983. Leaders from the Republican Party asked her to run for a seat. They wanted her to run for the Oregon House of Representatives. Even though the area was mostly Democratic, Margaret Carter won as a Democrat in 1984. She started serving in the legislature in 1985.
This was a huge moment for Oregon. Margaret Carter became the first African-American woman ever elected to the Oregon Legislative Assembly. In the House, she worked hard to pass important laws. One law stopped Oregon from investing in South Africa during apartheid. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination. She also helped make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a state holiday in Oregon. In 1989, she encouraged black people to join the Urban League of Portland.
In 1998, she ran for the office of Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction. However, she did not win that election. She continued to serve in the Oregon House until January 1999. She had to leave because of "term limits." Term limits mean a politician can only serve a certain number of terms.
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 Portland Community College in 1999. But her political career was not over! She was elected to the Senate in November 2000. In 2005, she became the president pro tempore of the Oregon State Senate. This is a very important leadership position. She ran for re-election in 2008 and won easily.
In 2010, the Oregon Library Association gave her the Legislator of the Year Award. This award recognized her great work in the legislature.
Life After the Senate
Margaret Carter left the Oregon Senate in 2009. She took a new job at the Oregon Department of Human Services. This department helps people in Oregon with many different services. In 2012, she became the director of community engagement. She continued to work to help people in her community.
See also
- Seventy-third Oregon Legislative Assembly (2005–2006)
- Seventy-fourth Oregon Legislative Assembly (2007–2008)
- Seventy-fifth Oregon Legislative Assembly (2009–2010)
