In 1992, Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun made history when she was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first Black woman, and the first woman from Illinois, to ever hold that seat. A trailblazer in every sense, her groundbreaking win marked a major milestone in American politics.
Now, the former lawmaker and Chicago native is reflecting on her journey in a new memoir titled Trailblazer: Perseverance in Life and Politics, CBS News reports. The book details her upbringing, her historic rise, and the battles she faced as a Black woman navigating the halls of power.
Before the Senate, she had already made waves at the local level. In 1988, she became the first Black person elected to an executive position in Cook County, Illinois, when she was named recorder of deeds. After her time in the Senate, she continued to make history, becoming the first former senator to serve as U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand in 1999.
“Trailblazer is a story of perseverance,” the book description reads. “Carol Moseley Braun offers readers a measure of hope and an optimistic letter to future generations on the work we have done and have yet to do to ensure that our country lives up to the promise of liberty and justice for all.”
Cover photo: Carol Moseley Braun, the First Black Woman U.S. Senator, Reflects on Her Historic Career in New Memoir / Photo Credit: Paul Beaty via AP