August 15

Maxine Waters

On August 15, 1938, the outspoken United States Congressional Representative from California's 43rd District, Maxine Moore Waters was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Waters has come a long way from working as a telephone operator and assistant teacher after graduating from high school to being a Democratic Congresswoman, former Chair of the Congressional Black Congress, the most senior of all African American women in congress, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services and now one of the most powerful women in American politics. She graduated from California State University, Los Angeles with a degree in sociology in 1970. Waters was first elected to California's 29th District congressional seat of retiring Augustus F. Hawkins in 1990 with over 79% of the popular vote. Since 1990 she has represented California's 29th, 35th and 43rd congressional districts.