Biography

Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell was elected to her third term to represent Alabama’s 7th Congressional District on November 4, 2014. She is one of the first women elected to Congress from Alabama in her own right and is the first black woman to ever serve in the Alabama Congressional delegation.

Congresswoman Sewell sits on the exclusive House Committee on Financial Services and brings to the committee her more than 15 years of experience as a corporate securities and public finance attorney.  She also serves on the distinguished House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence charged with the oversight of our national security. She is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on the Department of Defense Intelligence and Overhead Architecture, a key subcommittee on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

In her short time in Congress, Sewell has held several leadership positions including Freshman Class President in the 112th Congress.  This term, she was selected by the Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer to serve as a Chief Deputy Whip, and sits on the prestigious Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus. Congresswoman Sewell is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the New Democrat Caucus.  She is also Co-Chair of the newly formed Voting Rights Caucus.

Congresswoman Sewell is an outspoken advocate for jobs creation, workforce development, skills training and for providing resources and economic opportunities for her constituents in the 7th Congressional District. In addition to pursuing job-creating legislation in Congress, Sewell has implemented a results-driven approach to addressing the unemployment crisis by hosting an Annual Job Fair and job readiness workshops across the district as a part of a workforce initiative called Project R.E.A.D.Y.--- Realizing Everyone’s Ability to Develop Yourself.

As the Member of Congress representing Alabama’s civil rights district, Congresswoman Sewell has been a passionate champion for recognizing and honoring the sacrifices of those freedom fighters who served as powerful agents of change.  Congresswoman Sewell was honored that her first piece of successful legislation recognized the “Four Little Girls” who tragically lost their lives during the bombing of the16th Street Baptist Church in 1963.  The Congressional Gold Medal bill passed unanimously in both houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on May 24, 2013.  For the 50th Anniversary, the American people, through their elected representatives, finally paid tribute to the “Four Little Girls” by bestowing them with a Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony held in our nation’s Capitol.

Congresswoman Sewell’s Congressional Gold Medal bill to honor the Foot Soldiers of the Voting Rights Movement was signed by President Obama on March 7, 2015, the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

Prior to her election in 2010, Congresswoman Sewell was the first black woman partner in the Birmingham law office of Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C., where she distinguished herself as one of the only black public finance lawyers in the State of Alabama.   A proud product of Alabama’s rural Black Belt, Congresswoman Sewell was the first black valedictorian of Selma High School. She is an honors graduate of Princeton University and Oxford University and received her law degree from Harvard Law School.

Congresswoman Sewell is a Silver Star and boule member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  She is the daughter of retired Coach Andrew A. Sewell of Selma, AL and retired librarian Nancy Gardner Sewell, Selma’s first black City Councilwoman, the 18th South Eastern Regional Director and former Supreme Grammateus of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Abbreviated Biography