Cardiss Collins

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Cardiss Collins
Danny Davis
Personal details
Born
Cardiss Hortense Robertson

(1931-09-24)September 24, 1931
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
DiedFebruary 3, 2013(2013-02-03) (aged 81)
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Resting placeArlington National Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1958; died 1972)​
EducationNorthwestern University

Cardiss Hortense Collins (

United Airlines Flight 553 plane crash a month after being elected to a second term.[2] The seat had been renumbered and combined from the 6th district to the 7th, and had been redrawn to include the Loop. She had previously worked as an accountant in various state government positions.[2]

Congressional career

Throughout her political career, she was a champion for women's health and welfare issues. In 1975, she was instrumental in prompting the Social Security Administration to revise Medicare regulations to cover the cost of post-mastectomy breast prosthesis, which before then had been considered cosmetic.

Danny K. Davis,[5] who would finally be elected to replace her after she chose not to seek reelection in 1996.[6] In 1990, Collins, along with 15 other African-American women and men, formed the African-American Women for Reproductive Freedom.[7]

In 1991, Collins was named chair of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Competitiveness. Her legislative interests were focused on establishing

gender equity in college sports, and reforming federal child care facilities.[8] Collins gained a brief national prominence in 1993 as the chairwoman of a congressional committee investigating college sports and as a critic of the NCAA.[9] She also engaged in an intense debate with Rep. Henry Hyde over Medicaid funding of abortion that year.[10]

During her last term (1995–1997), she served as ranking member of the

Government Reform and Oversight Committee.[11]

Retirement, death and honors

Collins did not seek re-election in 1996, citing her age. At the time of her retirement, she was the longest-serving Black female member of Congress.

Chicago, Illinois, is named in her honor and was completed in 1996 to replace the old Main Post Office across the street on Van Buren Street.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ Svitek, Patrick (February 6, 2013). "Cardiss Collins, 1931-2013". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Collins, Cardiss". United States House of Representatives.
  3. ^ "Women in Government: A Slim Past, But a Strong Future". Ebony: 89–92, 96–98. August 1977.
  4. ^ Trescott, Jacqueline (September 21, 1979). "The Coming Out Of Cardiss Collins". The Washington Post. p. C1. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  5. ^ Arndt, Michael (March 17, 1986). "Washington letting ally Davis go it alone in race with Collins". Chicago Tribune. Section 2, p. 3. Retrieved February 23, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Langer, Emily (February 6, 2013). "Cardiss Collins, lawmaker who championed women and minorities, dies at 81". Washington Post.
  7. ISBN 978-0-8160-4100-8
    . Retrieved February 4, 2012.
  8. ^ Purl, Rachael; Materre, Micah (February 5, 2013). "First African American woman to represent IL in Congress dies". WGN9. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  9. ^ Sherman, Ed (January 15, 1993). "Collins grabs baton as Congress' NCAA nemesis". Chicago Tribune. Section 4, p. 2. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  10. ^ Merida, Kevin (July 1, 1993). "Hyde Abortion Curb Survives Bitter Debate". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  11. ^
    ISSN 0190-8286
    . Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  12. ^ Cahn, Emily (February 5, 2013). "Cardiss Collins, First African-American Woman to Represent Illinois, Dies at 81". Roll Call. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  13. ^ Yardley, William (February 7, 2013). "Cardiss Collins, Fighter in Congress for Equality and the Poor, Dies at 81". The New York Times. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  14. ^ Cardiss Collins Processing and Distribution Center Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

Dobson, Frank E.; Dobson, Jasmin (2023) A Leader with Courage: The Impact of Congresswoman Cardiss Collins: Maitland, FL: Mill City Press. 978-1662882869.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 7th congressional district

1973–1997 		Succeeded by
Danny Davis
Preceded by Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus
1979–1981 		Succeeded by
Walter Fauntroy
Preceded by Ranking Member of the
House Oversight Committee

1995–1997 		Succeeded by
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