Terri Sewell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Terri Sewell
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Official portrait, 2014
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 7th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Artur Davis |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Terrycina Andrea Sewell
January 1, 1965 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Theodore Dixie
(divorced) |
| Relations | Briana Sewell (cousin) |
| Education | Princeton University (AB) St Hilda's College, Oxford (MA) Harvard University (JD) |
Terri Sewell (born January 1, 1965) is an American lawyer and politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Since 2011, she has been a U.S. Representative for Alabama's 7th district. This area includes parts of the Black Belt and many African American communities in cities like Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Montgomery.
Terri Sewell grew up in Huntsville. She studied at Princeton University, Harvard Law School, and St Hilda's College at the University of Oxford. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a lawyer. She was the first Black woman to become a partner at the law firm Maynard, Cooper & Gale. She is also the first African-American woman from Alabama to be elected to the U.S. Congress.
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Early Life and Education
Terri Sewell was born in Huntsville, Alabama. Her father, Andrew A. Sewell, was a high school basketball coach. Her mother, Nancy Gardner Sewell, was a retired librarian and a city council member in Selma. Her mother was the first Black woman elected to Selma's city council.
When she was a child, Terri Sewell dreamed of being a star on Broadway. However, her mother hoped she would become a lawyer. So, Terri joined the debate team in high school. She was the first Black student to be the top student (valedictorian) at Selma High School.
After high school, Sewell went to Princeton University. She was the first graduate from Selma High School to attend an Ivy League school. At Princeton, she became good friends with Michelle Obama, who was like a "big sister" to her. Sewell wrote her senior paper on "Black Women in Politics: Our Time Has Come." She also worked as an intern for politicians like Richard Shelby and Howell Heflin.
After graduating from Princeton in 1986, Sewell studied at St Hilda's College, Oxford in England as a Marshall Scholar. There, she became friends with Susan Rice. Her master's paper, about the first Black members of the British parliament, was later published as a book. Sewell earned her degree in political science from Oxford in 1988. She then went to Harvard Law School and earned her law degree in 1992. At Harvard, she was friends with Barack Obama. Their friendship later influenced her decision to enter politics.
Early Career and Path to Politics
After finishing law school, Terri Sewell worked as a judicial law clerk in Birmingham, Alabama. She then moved to New York and worked at a law firm called Davis Polk & Wardwell.
In 2004, Sewell returned to Alabama because her father was ill. She joined another law firm, Maynard, Cooper & Gale PC. She made history there by becoming the first Black woman partner at the firm. She specialized in public finance law.
In 2007, Sewell was at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church when then-Senator Barack Obama gave a speech. Sewell says Obama's speech inspired her to get involved in politics. He asked, "What do we do in order to fulfill that legacy, to fulfill the obligations and the debt that we owe to those who allowed us to be here today?" Weeks later, her friend Kirsten Gillibrand encouraged her to run for office.
U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Representative
In 2010, the current representative for Alabama's 7th district decided not to run again. Terri Sewell entered the race for the Democratic Party's nomination. This district is mostly Democratic and has a large African American population. She won the primary election and then the general election, becoming the U.S. Representative.
Since then, she has been re-elected many times. She often runs without a major opponent, showing strong support in her district.
What She Does in Congress
Terri Sewell is known for working with members of both major parties, Democrats and Republicans. She focuses on creating jobs and has a voting record that supports liberal policies. She is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, a group of African American members of Congress.
In 2020, Sewell supported Joe Biden for president. She has often voted in line with President Biden's goals.
Her Stance on Key Issues
Terri Sewell has clear views on many important topics:
Economic Issues
Sewell supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour. She also voted for the Paycheck Fairness Act to help close the gender pay gap. She believes in fair trade and has supported laws to address countries that unfairly manipulate their currency. Sewell supported extending tax cuts for middle and low-income families. She has also worked on policies for paid parental leave. She wants to remove the "Military Widow's Tax," which affects military families.
Voting Rights
Sewell is a strong supporter of voting rights. She helped create the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. This bill aims to update the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to protect against voting discrimination. She also supported the For the People Act of 2019, which works to make voting easier and fairer.
LGBT Rights
Sewell has voted for the Equality Act and the Respect for Marriage Act. These laws aim to protect the rights of LGBT individuals.
Tourism
She supported the National Heritage Area Act of 2022. This act would create a system to recognize important historical and cultural areas. It would also make 19 counties in the Alabama Black Belt a National Heritage Area.
Education
Sewell supported the Student Non-Discrimination Act. This bill would protect LGBT students from bullying and discrimination in public schools. She also helped pass a bill that gives $70 million to historically Black colleges. This money helps them improve their facilities and support their educational work.
Energy Policy
Sewell is against offshore drilling for oil and gas. She also opposes the EPA regulating greenhouse gas emissions.
Foreign Policy
Sewell supported President Obama's decisions regarding Afghanistan. She traveled to Afghanistan with other politicians to meet with American service members and discuss security and women's issues.
Government Reform
Sewell has supported laws to make government more transparent. She co-sponsored the STOCK Act, which prevents members of Congress from using private information for stock trading. She also supported the DISCLOSE Act, which aims to make political spending more open. She also supported a bill to require at least 15 days of nationwide early voting.
Gun Policy
In 2019, Sewell voted for the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. This law requires background checks for anyone buying a firearm.
Health Care
Sewell voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (often called Obamacare). She supports expanding Medicaid, which provides health care to low-income individuals. She is working on bills to lower the cost of prescription drugs and help rural hospitals. She also supports studies on health differences among African Americans.
In 2021, Sewell voted for the American Rescue Plan. This plan provided money to her district for things like vaccinations and hazard pay for COVID-19 response workers.
Homeland Security
Sewell supported extending parts of the PATRIOT Act, which allows for wiretapping in some cases. She voted against funding for Trump's wall on the border.
Impeachments of Donald Trump
Terri Sewell was the only representative from Alabama to vote in favor of impeaching Donald Trump in both the first and second impeachment trials.
Committee Work
In Congress, Terri Sewell serves on several important committees:
- Committee on Armed Services: This committee deals with military matters.
- Committee on House Administration: This committee oversees the daily operations of the House of Representatives. Sewell is the top Democrat (Ranking Member) on the Subcommittee on Elections.
- Committee on Ways and Means: This committee handles taxes, trade, and other financial issues. She is on subcommittees for Health, Trade, and Work and Welfare.
- Joint Committee on the Library: This committee oversees the Library of Congress.
Groups She Belongs To
Sewell is part of several groups in Congress called caucuses. These groups bring together members of Congress who share common interests.
- Congressional Black Caucus
- New Democrat Coalition (she is a vice chair)
- Congressional Voting Rights Caucus
- Congressional Cement Caucus
- Afterschool Caucuses
Personal Life
Terri Sewell was married to Theodore Dixie, but they are now divorced. She is a lifelong member of Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama. Her cousin, Briana Sewell, is also a politician, serving in the Virginia House of Delegates.
See also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
