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).
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