Roxanne Jones

Roxanne Jones
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 3rd district
In office
January 1, 1985 – May 19, 1996
Preceded byMilton Street
Succeeded byShirley Kitchen
Personal details
Born
Roxanne Harper

(1928-05-03)May 3, 1928[1]
South Carolina, United States
DiedMay 19, 1996(1996-05-19) (aged 68)[2]
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Political partyDemocratic
Parent(s)Gilford Harper and Mary Beatrice Burton Harper
OccupationSocial justice activist and state legislator
Known forThe first African-American woman to serve in the Pennsylvania State Senate

Roxanne H. Jones (May 3, 1928 – May 19, 1996)[3] was an American social activist and politician who served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 3rd district from January 1, 1985 to May 19, 1996.[4][5]

She was the first African-American woman to serve in the Pennsylvania State Senate[6][7] and the second woman to serve in the Senate[8] since Flora M. Vare in 1928.[9][10]

In 1996, she was described by the Philadelphia Daily News as someone who, [i]n an era of despair ... always saw hope—never defeat."[11] Ed Rendell, the mayor of Philadelphia at that time and later governor of Pennsylvania, called her the city's "leading advocate for the poor and most vulnerable citizens ... a non-stop energetic whirlwind who battled injustice with every ounce of energy she possessed."[12]

  1. ^ Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania. Dept. of Property and Supplies; Pennsylvania. Bureau of Publications (1995). The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 112. Department of Property and Supplies for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
  2. ^ "Jet". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company: 53. 1978-07-06. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
  3. ^ Cox, Harold (2004). "Pennsylvania Senate - 1995-1996" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
  4. ^ Cox, Harold (2004). "Legislatures - 1776-2004". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
  5. ^ "Roxanne Jones: Pennsylvania state senator" (obituary). Modesto, California: The Modesto Bee, May 22, 1996, p. E-14 (subscription required).
  6. ^ "Pennsylvania State Senate - Roxanne Jones Biography". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  7. ^ "Sen. Roxanne Jones, 68, 1st black woman in Pa. Senate." Associated Press wire services and Atlantic City, New Jersey: The Press, May 20, 1996, p. C2 (subscription required).
  8. ^ Washington 1994, p. 142.
  9. ^ Baer, John M. "Death of an Advocate: Roxanne Jones battled." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Daily News, May 20, 1996, p. 4 (subscription required).
  10. ^ "Roxanne Jones, first black woman elected to state Senate, dies at 68." Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania: The Times Leader, May 20, 1996, p. 2 (subscription required).
  11. ^ "In Our Opinion: Roxanne Jones: A call to conscience." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Daily News, May 21, 1996, p. 18 (subscription required).
  12. ^ Loyd, Linda, Jere Downs, and Russell E. Eshleman Jr. "State Sen. Roxanne H. Jones dies at 68." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 20, 1996, front page (subscription required).