Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, a tireless advocate for Detroit, dies at age 80

DETROIT (AP) — Former Detroit Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick has died at age 80, according to her family.

The family announced Cheeks Kilpatrick’s death Wednesday in a statement, calling her a “tireless warrior” for Detroit and an “unwavering champion for her constituents.”

“For over 32 years, Congresswoman Kilpatrick held elected office with passion, integrity, and an unyielding commitment to bringing positive change to our community,” the family said. “She will be deeply missed, not only by her family and friends, but by the entire Detroit community that she loved so dearly.”

A Democrat, Cheeks Kilpatrick became the second Black woman to serve in the U.S. House following her election in 1996. By her second term, she was assigned to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, where she worked to secure federal resources for Detroit, according to a biography on the U.S. House website.

She was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and served as its chair from 2007-2009.

A former school teacher, Cheeks Kilpatrick first was elected in 1978 to the Michigan House of Representatives, where she served nine consecutive terms.

In 2008, her son, then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, pleaded guilty to obstructing justice in a civil trial involving retaliation against police officers. He later resigned as mayor.

Kwame Kilpatrick was convicted in 2013 of federal racketeering, fraud, extortion and tax crimes and was sentenced to 28 years in prison. He was released in 2021 after President Donald Trump commuted his sentence.

Cheeks Kilpatrick ran for reelection in 2010, but lost in the Democratic primary.

“Congresswoman Kilpatrick leaves behind a legacy of service that shines as an example to all who knew her,” the Congressional Black Caucus said Wednesday in a statement.

In addition to her son, Cheeks Kilpatrick is survived by a daughter, Ayanna, and eight grandchildren.