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Born October 5, 1932, in Los Angeles, CA
In 1966, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke became the first Black woman elected to the California State Assembly. When she was elected to the House of Representatives in 1972, she was the first woman sent to Congress from California in 20 years, and the first Black woman ever elected from that state. In 1973, Burke became the first Congresswoman to give birth and be granted maternity leave while in Congress. After serving three terms, she returned to California, where she became a specialist in public finance and a partner in a law firm. She held a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from 1992 to 2008.