Progressive Leader Sheila Jackson Lee Passes at 74

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas known for her advocacy for racial justice and progressive causes, passed away at 74. Serving nearly three decades in the House, she announced in June that she had pancreatic cancer. The Congressional Black Caucus praised her as a “titan” and a “fierce advocate for social and economic justice.”

Starting her political career on the Houston City Council, Jackson Lee was elected to Congress in 1994. She chaired the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, and served on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget Committees.

Her final political race was last year when she lost the Houston mayoral election to John Whitmire. Despite strong support from Democrats and Black voters, she struggled to expand her base. Born in Queens, inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, she pursued higher education at Yale and the University of Virginia before moving to Houston, where her political ambitions were fueled by a desire to help women and minorities. Her seat in Congress once belonged to Barbara Jordan, and she received endorsements from prominent Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, in her mayoral campaign.