Shirley Kitchen facts for kids

Shirley M. Kitchen is an American politician. She was born on September 18, 1946. She is from Pennsylvania. She was a member of the Democratic Party.

She served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She represented the 181st district from 1987 to 1988. Later, she joined the Pennsylvania State Senate. She represented the 3rd District from 1996 to 2016. She was the second African-American woman to serve in the Pennsylvania Senate.

Her Early Life and Education

Shirley M. Kitchen was born in Augusta, Georgia. She went to Antioch University. She earned a bachelor's degree in Human Services in 1979.

She also attended Temple University. There, she received special certificates. These were in Child Care, Behavior Modification, and Economic Development.

Her Career in Politics

Before becoming a politician, Shirley Kitchen worked in different roles. From 1970 to 1976, she was a poll worker in Philadelphia. This means she helped people vote.

She also worked as a social worker for Philadelphia County. From 1986 to 1987, she was a Director of Constituent Services. She did this for the Philadelphia City Council. This job involved helping people who lived in the city.

Serving in the House of Representatives

In November 1987, she was elected. She became a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She served in this role until 1988.

Serving in the State Senate

In November 1996, Shirley Kitchen was elected again. This time, it was for the Pennsylvania State Senate. She won a special election. This election was held after Roxanne Jones passed away.

Shirley Kitchen served in the State Senate until November 2016. She decided to retire then. She was the second African-American woman to serve in the Pennsylvania State Senate. When she retired, she was the only African-American woman in the Senate.

Other Important Roles

Shirley Kitchen also worked for the Philadelphia Parking Authority. From 1990 to 1992, she was a Manager. She worked in their Management Information Systems Department.

She returned to the Philadelphia City Council. From 1992 to 1996, she was again the Director of Constituent Services.

What She Did in the Senate

In 2015, Shirley Kitchen worked on several important committees. These committees help make laws for Pennsylvania.

• Public Health and Welfare: This committee worked on health and social programs.
• Agricultural and Rural Affairs: This committee focused on farming and country areas.
• Transportation: This committee dealt with roads, bridges, and travel.
• Urban Affairs and Housing: This committee looked at city issues and places to live.