- Biographical Highlights
- Birthday: August 4, 1963
- Elected to the U.S. House in 2006.
- House Committee Assignments: Financial Services and Judiciary
- Elected to the Minnesota State House in 2002; Re-elected in 2004.
- Practicing Attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1990 to 2006.
- Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Wayne State University - 1987
- Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School - 1990
Keith Ellison has represented the Fifth Congressional
District of Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives since taking office
on January 4, 2007. The Fifth Congressional District is the most vibrant and
ethnically diverse district in Minnesota with a rich history and traditions.
The Fifth District includes the City of Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs.
Representative Ellison is a member of the Minnesota
Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL). He previously served two terms representing Legislative District 58B in the Minnesota State House of Representatives, from
2003 to 2007. While in the State Legislature, he served on the Public Safety,
Policy and Finance Committee, and the Election and Civil Law Committee. Ellison
led efforts to protect Minnesota children from dangerous pesticides and
chemicals; he promoted legislation to restore the voting rights of ex-offenders;
and he successfully advocated for an increase in the state's minimum wage.
Ellison made history as the first African American from
Minnesota to serve in the U.S. Congress. He also made history by becoming
the first person of the Muslim faith in America to serve in Congress.
Representative Ellison's philosophy is one of "generosity and
inclusiveness." His roots as a community activist and his message
of inclusivity through democratic participation resonates throughout the Fifth
District. His priorities in Congress are: promoting peace, prosperity
for working families, and promoting civil and human rights.
Representative Ellison serves on the Financial Services and Judiciary
Committees. The Financial Services Committee provides oversight for the
nation's housing and financial services sector, while the Judiciary Committee
oversees the country's legal system: issues like civil and human rights,
immigration and election law.
Ellison, now 44 years old, was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He moved
to Minnesota in 1987 to attend the University of Minnesota Law School, where he
earned his law degree in 1990. Keith, and his wife Kim Ellison, have lived on the
Minneapolis Northside for the past eighteen years. Kim is a high school
mathematics teacher. They are the proud parents of four children.
|
About Keith 