Monroe Swan facts for kids

Monroe Swan was born on June 2, 1937. He is a retired American politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a member of the Democratic Party.

Monroe Swan made history as the first African American person to serve in the Wisconsin Senate. He represented Wisconsin's 6th Senate district from 1973 to 1980. His time in office ended early due to issues related to how campaign funds were used.

Early Life and Education

Monroe Swan was born in Belzoni, Mississippi. He went to Springfield Technical High School in Springfield, Massachusetts. After high school, he worked as an employment counselor. This meant he helped people find jobs. He was also a community activist, working to improve his local area.

He continued his education in Wisconsin. In 1964, he earned an associate degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College. Later, in 1967, he received his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Serving in the Senate

In 1972, Monroe Swan was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate. He ran for the 6th District seat in Milwaukee. He won against the person who held the seat before him, Mark Lipscomb Jr..

This election was important because the district had many African-Americans. Mark Lipscomb Jr. had worked to make sure the district boundaries reflected this. He believed the district should have an African American senator.

Monroe Swan won the Democratic Party's primary election. This is an election where party members choose their candidate. He then won the main election easily. He started his term in the Senate in 1973.

Why His Term Ended

Monroe Swan served in the Senate until 1980. His time in office ended because of problems with how money was used for his campaign. He was found to have used money from a federal program called CETA for his campaign workers. This was not allowed.