Edward Brooke Edward William Brooke III Office: United States Senator, Massachusetts Political party: Republican Term of office: January 1967 - January, 1979 Preceded by: Leverett Saltonstall Succeeded by: Paul Tsongas Born: October 26, 1919 Washington, D.C. Spouse: Anne Brooke Edward William Brooke III (born October 26, 1919) is an American politician and was the first African American to be elected by popular vote to the United States Senate when he was elected as a Republican from Massachusetts in 1966, defeating his Democratic opponent, Endicott Peabody, 58Ô2åP> Born in Washington, DC, Brooke was the son of a Veterans Administration attorney who graduated from Howard University in 1941, then spent five years as a captain in the United States Army, infantry. Following his release, he graduated from Boston University Law School in 1948. The following year, he ran for a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, but lost. He then made two more tries for office, including one for secretary of state, but again fell short in both races.
He was the chairman of Finance Commission of Boston from 1961-1962. Brooke was elected Attorney General of Massachusetts in 1962 and re-elected in 1964. In this position, he gained a reputation as a vigorous prosecutor of organized crime.
He was a U.S. Senator for two terms from January 3, 1967 to January 3, 1979. In 1967 he served on the President's Commission on Civil Disorders. He was a member of the liberal wing of the Republican Party, and often had conflicts with President Richard Nixon, particularly in 1970 when Brooke helped lead the movement to stop the Senate confirmation of the President's nominee to the Supreme Court, Harold Carswell. Brooke was re-elected in 1972, defeating Democrat John Droney 62Ó4àHowever, he lost much of his popularity during his second term after a contentious and widely-publicized divorce. He lost a bid for a third term in 1978 to Democratic Representative Paul Tsongas 55Ô1àAfter leaving the Senate, he was a member of the Low Income Housing Commission.
In September 2002, he was diagnosed with breast cancer and since then, has assumed a national role in raising awareness of the disease among men.
Brooke is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans. He lives on a 151-acre farm outside of Washington, D.C. in Warrenton, Virginia. On April 29, 2006 the Massachusetts Republican Party awarded the first annual Edward Brooke Award to former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card at their 2006 State Nominating Convention.
Preceded by: Edward McCormack Attorney General of Massachusetts 1963 - 1967 Succeeded by: Elliot Richardson Preceded by: Leverett Saltonstall U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Massachusetts 1967 - 1979 Served alongside: Ted Kennedy Succeeded by: Paul Tsongas
