Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (1932- )
Yvonne Brathwaite Burke was born on October 5, 1932, in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from Manual Arts High School in 1947, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, and her juris doctorate degree from the University of Southern California (USC) School of Law in 1956. Burke was one of the first African American women to be admitted to the USC Law School. In 1966, Burke became the first African American woman elected to the California Assembly, representing the 63rd Assembly District.
Burke was also a founding member of the California Legislative Black Caucus. A lawyer in private practice, Burke has been a civil rights advocate and has sponsored legislation calling for more effective education for Los Angeles students, better recreation facilities to cut delinquency, strong and fair employment legislation, and tax reform. In 1972, Burke was elected to the United States Congress, representing California’s 37th Congressional District and becoming the first African American woman to represent California in Congress. Later, she also became the first African American to be elected to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, which she served from 1979-1980 and 1992-2008, when she retired. In 2012, President Barack Obama nominated Burke to join the Amtrak Board of Directors, a position that she held until 2024.
Burke was also the first woman to give birth and take a maternity leave in the U.S. Congress in 1973. Her daughter, Autumn Burke, served as a member for the California State Assembly from 2014-2022. Although they did not serve at the same time, Yvonne and Autumn became the first mother-daughter duo elected to the California State Assembly
