Edward Brooke

1919-

Senator

Boston College Photo Service

In 1966, Edward Brooke become the first African-American elected to the Senate since Reconstruction, as well as the first African-American elected to that position by popular vote. A graduate of Howard University and Boston University Law School, the liberal Republican Brooke served in the Senate for twelve years, until he was defeated by Paul Tsongas in 1978. Brooke was instrumental in developing the legislation that would become the 1970 Housing and Urban Development Act.