Elizabeth Furse was born in Nairobi, Kenya to British parents, and grew up in South Africa where she became an anti-apartheid activist. She is the first person born in Africa to be elected to the U.S. Congress. In 1956, she moved to England, before eventually moving to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, California and later moving to Seattle, Washington. She became a United States citizen in 1972, and graduated from Evergreen State College in 1974. In 1978, she moved to the Portland, Oregon area, where she became involved in American Indian affairs. Since retiring from Congress, she has served as Director of the Institute for Tribal Government at Portland State University. In addition, she co-owns Helvetia Vineyards with her husband, John C. Platt.