Rosa Franklin

Rosa Lee Franklin (née Gourdine; born April 4, 1927) is an American politician and nurse who served as a member of the Washington State Senate from 1993 to 2011, representing the for the 29th District. She also served as the President Pro Tempore for the Senate.[1]

Rosa Franklin
President pro tempore of the Washington Senate
In office
June 30, 2004 – January 10, 2011
Preceded byShirley Winsley
Succeeded byMargarita Prentice
In office
January 8, 2001 – January 13, 2003
Preceded byR. Lorraine Wojahn
Succeeded byShirley Winsley
Member of the Washington Senate
from the 29th district
In office
January 25, 1993 – January 10, 2011
Preceded byA. L. Rasmussen
Succeeded bySteve Conway
Member of the Washington House of Representatives
from the 29th district
In office
January 14, 1991 – January 25, 1993
Preceded byP. J. Gallagher
Succeeded bySteve Conway
Personal details
Born
Rosa Lee Gourdine

(1927-04-04) April 4, 1927
Moncks Corner, South Carolina, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJames Franklin
Children3
EducationUniversity of Puget Sound (BA)
Pacific Lutheran University (MA)

Early life and education

Franklin was born Rosa Lee Gourdine on April 4, 1927, the fifth child born to Henrietta Bryant and James Edwin Gourdine. She was born in a house built by her father in Cordesville, an unincorporated community in Berkeley County, South Carolina, historically known for Moncks Corner, South Carolina.[2] The youngest of 12 children, she was raised by her aunt and uncle in Georgetown, South Carolina. After graduating high school, Franklin studied nursing at the Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital School of Nursing in Columbia, South Carolina. She later worked at a state hospital in New Jersey and at the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital and Medical Center in New York City. Franklin moved to Germany with her husband, James Franklin, a member of the military. They eventually relocated to Tacoma, Washington.[3]

After settling in Tacoma, Franklin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and English from the University of Puget Sound. She then earned a Master of Arts in social sciences and human relations from Pacific Lutheran University in Lakewood, Washington. She also holds a women's Health Care Specialist Certificate from the University of Washington Gynecorp Training Program.[4][5] She was later awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Puget Sound.[6]

Career

Franklin worked as a registered nurse before becoming an elected representative.[4][7]

In 1972, Franklin ran for a seat on the Tacoma City Council. Despite losing, she remained active in local politics and served as a Precinct Committee Officer for the Democratic Party and as a member of the League of Women Voters. She was a Washington delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1976, 1988, and 2008.

Franklin was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1990 to represent the 29th District, and she won re-election in November 1992. After the state senator from the 29th district died in January 1993, Franklin was nominated as his successor.[8]

Personal life

Franklin and her husband James have been married for sixty-two years and have three children and five grandchildren.[4]

See also

References
  1. Senator Rosa Franklin homepage at the Washington Senate Democratic Caucus
  2. https://app.leg.wa.gov/oralhistory/franklin.pdf
  3. Queenz, UWB Zine (2019-06-10), "Rosa Franklin", Badass Womxn in the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington Bothell and University of Washington Libraries, retrieved 2020-02-08
  4. Official Rosa Franklin Biography on the Washington Senate Democratic Caucus website
  5. "UW Tacoma Honors Dr. Rosa Franklin With 2019 Dream Award | UW Tacoma". www.tacoma.uw.edu. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  6. "Honorary Degree Recipients · University of Puget Sound". www.pugetsound.edu. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  7. "African Americans in the Washington State Legislature". Washington State Library. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  8. Fletcher, Phyllis (2008-12-06). "Rosa Franklin (1927 - ) •". Retrieved 2020-02-08.


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