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Melvin L. Watt ("Mel") was born in Mecklenburg
County, North Carolina on August 26, 1945. He is a graduate of York Road
High School in Charlotte. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1967 with a BS degree in
Business Administration and was president of the business honors
fraternity as a result of having the highest academic average in the
Business School. In 1970 he received a JD degree from Yale University
Law School and was a published member of the Yale Law Journal. He has
been awarded honorary degrees from North Carolina A&T State University,
Johnson C. Smith University, Bennett College and Fisk University.
Mel practiced law from 1970-1992 and has been a
small business owner.
Mel was the campaign manager of Harvey Gantt's
campaigns for City Council, for Mayor of Charlotte and for the United
States Senate. Mel served one term in the North Carolina Senate
(1985-86) where he was called “the conscience of the Senate.” He did
not seek a second term in the state Senate and announced that he would
not consider running for elective office again until his children
completed high school.
Mel is married to Eulada Paysour Watt, an
educator. They have two sons, Brian and Jason, both of whom are
graduates of Yale University and have earned graduate degrees.
Mel is a member of the Mt. Olive Presbyterian Church and a life
member of the NAACP. He served as president of the Mecklenburg County
Bar and has been a member of many professional, community and civic
boards and organizations.
In 1992, Mel was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from
North Carolina's 12th Congressional District and became one of only two
African American members elected to Congress from North Carolina in the
20th century.
Mel is a member of the House Financial Services Committee where he
serves on the Financial Institutions Subcommittee, the Domestic and
International Monetary Policy Subcommittee and the Capital Markets,
Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee. Mel is
also on the House Judiciary Committee on which he is the Ranking Member
on the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law. In December
of 2004, Mel was unanimously elected Chairman of the Congressional Black
Caucus.
Mel enjoys tennis, running, reading and music. Since 1995 he has
been the starting pitcher for the Democratic baseball team in the annual
Congressional Baseball Game and was named most valuable player in 1995,
1996 and 2000.
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