Wayne R. Bryant facts for kids

Wayne R. Bryant was born on November 7, 1947. He is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1995 to 2008. During this time, he represented the 5th Legislative District.

Before joining the Senate, Bryant was a member of the General Assembly. This is New Jersey's lower house of government. He served there from 1982 to 1995. He also worked on the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1980 to 1982.

Early Life and Family

Wayne Bryant grew up in Lawnside, New Jersey. This community has a large African American population. His father, Isaac Rutledge Bryant, was the president of the Lawnside school board for 14 years.

His uncle, Horace J. Bryant, made history in New Jersey. He was the first African American to serve in a State Cabinet position. A State Cabinet is a group of advisors to the state's governor. Wayne's grandfather also worked in government. He was the first African American calendar clerk for the New Jersey General Assembly. This job involved managing bills and schedules.

Wayne has two brothers, Isaac and Mark. His brother Mark Bryant later became the mayor of Lawnside.

Political Journey

Serving in the Assembly and Senate

While in the General Assembly, Wayne Bryant held an important role. He served as the Majority Leader from 1990 to 1991. The Majority Leader helps guide the laws passed by the main political party.

In 1995, he was chosen to join the State Senate. He served there until 2008. Nilsa Cruz-Perez took his place in the Assembly. Bryant also represented New Jersey at the Democratic National Convention four times. These conventions are where the Democratic Party chooses its candidate for president. He attended in 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004.

Working as a Lawyer and Committee Roles

Wayne Bryant is also a trained attorney. He worked at the law firm of Zeller & Bryant, L.L.P. A law firm is a business where lawyers work together. He retired from the firm in 2007 after 33 years.

Bryant has held many important roles in the Senate. He was the chairman of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee. This committee helps decide how the state's money is spent. He also chaired the Joint Budget Oversight Committee. He was a member of other committees too, including the Education Committee, the Joint Committee on Public Schools, and the Intergovernmental Relations Committee. These committees work on different areas of state government.