Thelma Harper (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thelma Harper
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| Member of the Tennessee Senate from the 19th district |
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| In office January 10, 1989 – January 8, 2019 |
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| Succeeded by | Brenda Gilmore |
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| Born |
Thelma Marie Claybrooks
December 2, 1940 Brentwood, Tennessee |
| Died | April 22, 2021 (aged 80) Nashville, Tennessee |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Tennessee State University |
Thelma Marie Claybrooks Harper (born December 2, 1940 – died April 22, 2021) was an important American politician. She made history as the first African-American woman to become a state senator in Tennessee.
Thelma Harper was first elected in 1989. She served for 30 years, becoming the longest-serving female state senator in Tennessee's history. She was also the first African-American woman to lead the Senate Government Operations Committee. She also led the Tennessee Black Caucus.
Harper was a member of the Democratic Party. She represented the 19th district in the Tennessee Senate. This district covers a large part of Davidson County, including the center of Nashville.
She started her public service in 1980. She was elected to the city council in 1983 and served for eight years. She studied business administration and accounting at Tennessee State University.
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Thelma Harper's Journey in Politics
Thelma Harper served as a state senator for 30 years. Her amazing public service began when she was chosen to be a grand jury foreman. This was for Davidson County's 5th Circuit Court.
Later, she was elected to the Nashville/Davidson County Metropolitan Council. She represented the 2nd District for eight years. During this time, Senator Harper led a successful effort to close the Bordeaux Landfill. She organized protests and blockades of dump trucks. She was even arrested with other community activists. Before the landfill closed, she helped pass laws to set fair rules for where landfills could be located.
Thelma Harper was also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention many times. She attended in 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. In 2000, she spoke at the convention. She talked about "The Al Gore I Know."
Laws Thelma Harper Helped Pass
Thelma Harper was a strong voice for women, children, and the elderly. She helped pass many important laws.
- She created a fee waiver for students from low-income families. This helped them get school supplies and lunches.
- She made sure insurance covered breast reconstruction for breast cancer survivors.
- She increased legal protections for the elderly. This helped stop financial abuse by their caretakers.
- She supported the "safe haven law." This law helps save abandoned babies.
Harper also sponsored the law that renamed part of U.S. Highway 41. It was renamed in honor of civil rights hero Rosa Parks.
Helping Nashville Grow
Thelma Harper played a big part in helping the 19th Senate District grow. She helped get many changes made to state budgets. These changes benefited people in her district. They included job training programs and efforts to help people find work.
She also helped with big building projects. One example is the Nashville Music City Center. She worked to change a law to allow Nashville to sell bonds to build this center.
Her district included Downtown Nashville. She worked closely with five Nashville mayors and four governors. She was important in many historical moments for Nashville. This includes the Music City Center and the Downtown Nashville Library. She also helped bring the NFL Titans Football team to Nashville. She helped get funds for Tennessee State University and Meharry Medical College. She also supported many non-profit groups over the years.
In 1996, Harper was one of only two state senators who did not vote for a bill to ban gay marriage in Tennessee. Instead, she chose not to vote.
Committees Thelma Harper Served On
Throughout her career, Thelma Harper served on many important committees.
- She was the first African-American woman to lead the Senate Government Operations Committee. She held this role during the 102nd, 103rd, 104th, and 105th General Assemblies.
- She was also the vice chair of the Senate State and Local Government Committee. This was during the 97th and 101st General Assemblies.
- She was the first senator to serve as chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus.
