Edward W. Brooke

A Senator from Massachusetts. Born in Washington, D. C. , October 26, 1919. Attended the public schools of Washington, D. C. Graduated from Howard University, Washington, D. C. , in 1941. Graduated, Boston University Law School 1948. Captain, United States Army, infantry, with five years of active service in the European theater of operations. Chairman of Finance Commission, city of Boston 1961-1962. Elected attorney general of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1962. Reelected in 1964. Elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1966. Reelected in 1972 and served from January 3, 1967, to January 3, 1979. Unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1978. First African American elected to the Senate by popular vote. Lawyer. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on June 23, 2004. Awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on July 1, 2008, for recognition of his service to the nation. Was a resident of Coral Gables, Fla, until his death on January 3, 2015. Interment in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.