Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Longtime Congresswoman, Dies At 74

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) has died at the age of 74. An official statement released via social media last Friday (July 19) confirmed her passing. According to Axios , Jackson Lee was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last month and was undergoing treatment. The memo did not report the cancer as her official cause of death.

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“Today, with incredible grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas,” detailed the letter.

“A fierce champion of the people, she was affectionately and simply known as ‘Congresswoman’ by her constituents in recognition of her near-ubiquitous presence and service to their daily lives for more than 30 years.”

Born in 1950 in Queens, New York, Lee Jackson graduated from Jamaica High School, Jamaica, N.Y., in 1968. In her continued educational journey, she earned the following degrees: B.A., Yale University, New Haven, Conn., 1972; J.D., University of Virginia Law School, Charlottesville, Va., 1975.

Jackson Lee began her political career as a municipal judge in Houston from 1987 to 1990, continuing to serve as a city council member for Houston from 1990 to 1994. From 1995 until her death, she served as a U.S. Representative from Texas’ 18th Congressional District.

According to the biography on her official website , Jackson Lee’s work includes authoring and fighting for the passage of the Violence Against Women’s Act, enacted in 1994, and being a lead sponsor of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which established the first new federal holiday in 38 years.

Additionally, Jackson Lee’s major legislative initiatives include the Sentencing Reform Act, the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, The RAISE Act, The Fair Chance for Youth Act, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act, Kaleif’s Law, the American RISING Act.

Politicians across the nation shared messages in honor of Jackson Lee as the news of her death became public.

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“Tonight, Texans all over are mourning the loss of a legend, true leader for social justice, public servant, and my friend, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee,” wrote Texas Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett on X.

“Congressional District and our most vulnerable neighbors across the Country. If you ever needed a living example of servant leadership, you could look no further — Congresswoman Jackson Lee was compassionate, resilient, and most importantly, always willing to do the work!” Rep. Crockett elaborated in a follow-up post.

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) shared, “Rest in peace, my friend. You were tough, principled, and gracious. As a black woman in Texas you carried yourself in a way that demanded respect amid the racism and misogyny you encountered. I don’t think people realize how hard you worked everyday.”

The two-part post continued, “Your grit and persistence [i]n politics, people who don’t do much are considered ‘furniture.’ You were the antonym of furniture. You never gave up; always kept pushing. You don’t need me to say it but you made a difference — for your community, for Houston, for our country. You really mattered, Sheila.”

Jackson Lee is survived by her husband, Elwyn Lee, her children, Jason and Erica, her grandchildren, Ellison and Roy, per Politico.

VIBE sends our condolences to the family, friends, and communities impacted by the loss of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

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