Meek, Carrie Pittman , 1926-2021, American politician, b. Tallahassee, Fl., Florida A&M Univ. (B.A., 1946), Univ. of Michigan (M.A., 1948). Meek taught health and physical education at several Florida schools, serving as an administrator at Miami-Dade Junior College (1961-91), where she led the effort to desegregate its campuses in 1963. She was elected to the Florida House of Representatives (1979-83) and subsequently was the first Black woman to serve in the State Senate (1983-93). In 1992, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the first Black since Reconstruction to represent Florida. As a new member of Congress, she fought for and won a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where she was a strong advocate for the poor and disadvantaged. When the Republicans regained control of the House, she opposed efforts to cut federal programs. Meek retired in 2002, and her son, Kendrick, subsequently served in her seat (2003-11).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies
