The Honorable Edward Brooke
Edward Brooke, III was born in Washington, D.C., on October 26, 1919. His father, Edward Brooke, Jr., was an attorney for the Veterans Administration for more than fifty years, and his mother, Helen, later worked on all of Brooke’s political campaigns. Brooke entered Howard University at the age of sixteen, and earned his B.A. degree in sociology in 1941. After graduation, Brooke entered the U.S. Army and was sent overseas. A decorated captain in the all-black 366th Combat Infantry Regiment, Brooke defended men in military tribunals. During the Italian campaign, Brooke disguised himself as an Italian, crossing enemy lines to meet with the Italian Partisans and facing Nazi and Fascist troops.
Returning from World War II and experienced in legal proceedings, Brooke enrolled in Boston University Law School, earning an LL.B. in 1948 and an LL.M. a year later, as well as serving as the editor of the school’s Law Review. While practicing law in Boston, Brooke began seeking political office. Despite good showings in several races between 1950 and 1960, he failed to win. However, in 1960, he was appointed chairman of the Boston Finance Commission, where he exposed corruption in many city departments. His popularity high from his work there, Brooke was elected to the office of Massachusetts Attorney General, becoming the first African American to hold that post in the nation. He remained in the office for two terms, and in 1966, he won election to the U.S. Senate, where he was the first African American to be elected by popular vote, the first to be seated since Reconstruction and later the only to be re-elected.
During his first term in the Senate, Brooke spent a great deal of time on the issue of the Vietnam War, traveling to Asia on fact-finding missions. Upon his return, he requested that the United States cease using napalm. He also began calling for an end to trade with South Africa because of its apartheid policies. In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him to the National Commission on Civil Disorders, which made recommendations that ultimately took shape as the 1968 Civil Rights Act. Brooke later challenged Richard Nixon's Supreme Court nominees Hainsworth and Carswell, even though he had supported Nixon’s bid for the presidency. Brooke later became the first senator to call for Nixon’s resignation. Leaving Congress in 1979, Brooke spent another six years in private practice before retiring.
Brooke received thirty-four honorary degrees from the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities and numerous other awards, including the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP and the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit from the Italian Government. In 2000, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts dedicated a courthouse in his honor.
Brooke passed away on January 3, 2015 at the age of 95.
A2003.233
Male
9/23/2003
Brooke
Married
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School
Boston University School of Law
Edward
Washington
BRO10
Spring
District of Columbia
St. Martin, French West Indies
You do what you have to do.

Florida
10/26/1919
Miami
United States
Lamb
1/3/2015
U.S. senator The Honorable Edward Brooke (1919 - 2015 ) was the first African American to be elected senator by popular vote, the first to be seated since Reconstruction, and the first to be re-elected. During the Vietnam war, he called for a ban on napalm; he also served on the National Commission on Civil Disorders and later was the first senator to call for the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon.
Boston Finance Commission
State of Massachusetts
United States Senate
C. Splar & Bok
O'Connor & Hannan
Blue
Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Edward Brooke
Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke identifies five favorites
Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke provides information about his mother
Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke shares information about his paternal lineage and father
Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke reflects on his childhood in Washington, D.C.
Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke discusses childhood activities and heroes
Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Edward Brooke describes the personalities of his mother and father
Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Edward Brooke talks experiences and influences at Dunbar High School in Washington D.C.
Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke describes himself as a student in high school
Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke identifies a high school mentor
Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke talks about commuting as a student to Howard University
Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke reflects on sports at Howard University
Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke remembers notable professors at Howard University
Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke discusses his college involvement in the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity
Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Edward Brooke talks about the significance of black organizations
Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke discusses his entrance into the Army
Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke describes degregation in the army
Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke shares stories about his army experiences
Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke shares stories of discrimination while serving in the army
Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke talks about the low morale of the black troops
Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke recounts leading a band of Italian partisans
Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke reflects on the historical service of blacks in the military
Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke retells a story of a suprise attack on the enemy while stationed in Italy
Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke details the reluctance to use black troops for combat duty
Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke describes the mix of emotions upon returning home after the war
Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke shared details about his black combat unit
Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke discusses meeting and marrying an Italian woman
Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke recounts his decision to attend law school
Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke talks about living in the Roxbury district of Boston, Massachusetts
Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke discusses entering private legal practice
Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke talks about running for public office
Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke describes his involvement in Massachusetts politics
Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke comments on the impact of his wife's race on his campaigns
Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke talks about running for Secretary of State
Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke describes some of the challenges he faced while investigating corruption
Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke discusses being elected Attorney General for Massachusetts
Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke talks about the Boston Strangler case
Tape: 7 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke discusses politics in Massachusetts
Tape: 7 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke talks about the Voting Rights Act
Tape: 7 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke talks about the importance of economic and political power
Tape: 7 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke highlights the contributions of individuals to black political and economic progress
Tape: 7 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke comments on Barry Goldwater
Tape: 7 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke comments on black elected officials
Tape: 7 Story: 7 - Edward Brooke discusses his path to the Senate
Tape: 7 Story: 8 - Edward Brooke discusses his constituency
Tape: 7 Story: 9 - Edward Brooke talks about political opposition in 1966
Tape: 8 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke explains his approach to public office
Tape: 8 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke talks about opposition to his run for the United States Senate
Tape: 8 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke discusses the Vietnam war
Tape: 8 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke identifies issues he confronted while running for the United States Senate
Tape: 8 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke talks about the Watts riot
Tape: 8 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke discusses black voters and the two major political parties
Tape: 8 Story: 7 - Edward Brooke talks about the Kennedy family
Tape: 8 Story: 8 - Edward Brooke discusses black voter support and black representation
Tape: 9 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke outlines key issues for future black Senatorial candidates
Tape: 9 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke discusses his contentious relationship with Richard Nixon
Tape: 9 Story: 3 - Edward Brooke details his stature and influence in the Republican Party
Tape: 9 Story: 4 - Edward Brooke reveals his abhorrence for the Republican Southern Strategy
Tape: 9 Story: 5 - Edward Brooke discusses Richard Nixon's strengths and weaknesses
Tape: 9 Story: 6 - Edward Brooke remembers his advice to Richard Nixon to resign the Presidency
Tape: 9 Story: 7 - Edward Brooke recounts his views on the Vietnam War and a meeting with Lyndon Johnson
Tape: 9 Story: 8 - Edward Brooke notes highlights from his Senate career
Tape: 10 Story: 1 - Edward Brooke shares his hopes and concerns for society
Tape: 10 Story: 2 - Edward Brooke reflects on his legacy