Past Black Members
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Historical Society |
Name: William Owen Bush (1832 - 1907) Party: Republican District: Thurston County (at large) Years Served: 1889 (First Legislature) Occupation: Farmer Notable Legislation: House Bill 90 to establish a college for the study of the science of agriculture, which eventually became Washington State University. Biography: Black Past | Historylink | Obituary
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Photo courtesy of the Washington Digital Archives |
Name: John H. Ryan (1865 - 1943) Party: Farm Labor; Republican; Democrat District: 38 Pierce County; 28 Pierce County Years Served: 1921-1924 Farm Labor; 1931-1932 Republican, House of Representatives for District 38. 1933-1936 Democrat, Senate; 1941-1942 Democrat, House of Representatives for District 28. Notable Legislation: Successfully argued against an anti-interracial marriage bill in 1921 Biography: Black Past | Historylink |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Charles M. Stokes (1903 - 1996) Party: Republican District: 37 King County Years Served: 1951-1954; 1957-1958 Occupation: Attorney Notable Legislation: Co-sponsor of the Civil Rights Omnibus Bill of 1957 Biography: Black Past | Historylink |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: Samuel (Sam) J. Smith (1922 - 1995) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: 1959-1968 Occupation: Boeing Aircraft employee Notable Legislation: SB 378, the Fair Housing Law of 1957 Biography: Black Past | Legacy Washington | Obituary
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Photo courtesy of the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, Inc. |
Name: Marjorie Pitter-King (1921 - 1996) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: Appointed 1965 to serve an unexpired term, did not win reelection Occupation: Accountant Notable Legislation: Never participated in a legislative session Biography: Black Past | Washington State Legislature | Historylink | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: George Fleming (1937 - 2021) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: 1969-1970 House of Representatives; appointed to Senate 1971 Occupation: Athlete and Economic Development Manager for Pacific Northwest Bell/US West Notable Legislation: SB 3230 of 1983, creating the Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises Biography: Black Past | Obituary | YouTube |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: Peggy Joan Maxie (1936 - 2024) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: 1971-1982 Occupation: Social Worker Notable Legislation: Prime Sponsor of the Landlord-Tenant Act of 1973 Biography: Black Past | Historylink | Washington State Legislature | Obituary
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Digital Archives |
Name: Michael K. Ross (1941 - 2007) Party: Republican District: 37 King County Years Served: 1971-1972 Occupation: Contractor Notable Legislation: HB 214, closing loopholes in the laws regarding the recall of elected officials Biography: Black Past | Historylink | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: William (Bill) Smitherman (1943 - 2021) Party: Democrat District: 26 Pierce and Kitsap Counties Years Served: 1983-1986 House of Representatives; elected to Senate 1986 Occupation: Management - Planning Consultant Notable Legislation: SB 6095, creating University of Washington, Tacoma campus in 1990 Biography: Black Past | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Jesse Wineberry (1955 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 and 43 King County Years Served: 1985-1992 for District 43; 1993-1994 for District 37 Occupation: Unlisted in the Legislative Manual Notable Legislation: HB 2319 Programs to Reduce Youth Violence in 1994 Biography: Black Past | Historylink | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Rosa Franklin (1927 - ) Party: Democrat District: 29 Pierce County Years Served: 1991-1993 House of Representatives; appointed to Senate 1993 Occupation: Nursing Notable Legislation: SB 5584, the Washington Housing Policy Act of 1993 Biography: Black Past | Legacy Washington | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Vivian Caver (1928 - 2021) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: Appointed 1994 to an unexpired term, did not win reelection Occupation: Civic and Human Rights Activist Notable Legislation: HB 2670, relief for seniors and disability retirees on property taxes Biography: Black Past | Washington State Legislature | Oral History Interview | Obituary |
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Dawn Mason (1945 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: 1995-1998 Occupation: Management Systems Analyst for Seattle Water Notable Legislation: HB 2392, standardization of juvenile prosecution Biography: Black Past | Historylink | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of Senate Democratic Caucus |
Name: John Lovick (1951 - ) Party: Democrat District: 44 Snohomish County Years Served: 1999-2007 and 2016-2021, House of Representatives; appointed to Senate 2021 Occupation: Law Enforcement Notable Legislation: HB 1460 of 2001, making not wearing a seatbelt a primary offense Biography: Black Past | Senate website | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Eric Pettigrew (1960 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: 2003-2020 Occupation: Business Development Consultant Notable Legislation: HB 2791 of 2016, forming the Washington Statewide Reentry Council Biography: Black Past | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: David Simpson (1956 - ) Party: Democrat District: 38 Snohomish County Years Served: Appointed 2004 to an unexpired term, did not win reelection Occupation: Teacher and Labor Advocate Notable Legislation: HB 2727, requiring insurers who use credit scores to determine eligibility to file rating plans with the Insurance Commissioner Biography: LinkedIn
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Photo courtesy of the Washington State Archives |
Name: Roger Freeman (1966 - 2014) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce Counties Years Served: 2013-2014 Occupation: Attorney Notable Legislation: HB 1868, Medical insurance for police officers and fire fighters |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Jesse Johnson (1989 - ) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: Appointed 2020 to an unexpired term, reelected 2020 - 2022 Occupation: Public School Workforce Planning and Development Notable Legislation: HB 2711 of 2019, Improving educational outcomes for homeless and foster care children Biography: Black Past | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Kirsten Harris-Talley (1979 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2021 - 2022 Occupation: Nonprofit director Notable Legislation: HB 1881 of 2022, creating doula professional licensing Biography: Black Past | LinkedIn
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Current Black Members
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Kristine Reeves (1981 - ) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce Counties Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2017-2019; 2023 - current Occupation: Economic Developer Notable Legislation: HB 1802 of 2017, the Wounded Warrior Shared Leave Act Biography: Black Past | House website | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Debra Entenman (1961 - ) Party: Democrat District: 47 King County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2019 - current Occupation: Congressional District Director Notable Legislation: Biography: Black Past | House website | LinkedIn |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: Melanie Morgan (1967 - ) Party: Democrat District: 29 Pierce County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2019 - current Occupation: unlisted in the Legislative Manual Notable Legislation: HB 1016 of 2021 making Juneteenth a legal holiday Biography: Black Past | House website | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy of House Democrats |
Name: April Berg (1974 - ) Party: Democrat District: 44 Snohomish County Branch: House of Representatives Years Served: 2021 - current Occupation: Planning Commissioner Notable Legislation: HB 1342, Eliminating lunch copay for students on reduced price lunch Biography: House website | Black Past | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy House Democrats |
Name: Jamila Taylor (1975 - ) Party: Democrat District: 30 King and Pierce County Years Served: 2021 - current Occupation: Attorney Notable Legislation: Pending Biography: House website | Black Past | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy House Democrats |
Name: Brandy Donaghy (? - ) Party: Democrat District: 44 Snohomish County Years served: appointed 2021, reelected 2022 - current Occupation: Notable Legislation: Pending Biography: House website | Wikipedia |
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Photo courtesy House Democrats |
Name: Julia Reed (1987 - ) Party: Democrat District: 36 King County Years Served: 2023 - current Occupation: Workforce development Notable Legislation: Pending Biography: House website | Wikipedia | Ballotpedia |
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Photo courtesy House Democrats |
Name: Chipalo Street (1983 - ) Party: Democrat District: 37 King County Years Served: 2023 - current Occupation: Product Management at Microsoft Notable legislation: HB 1550, Improving the End-of-Life Management of Electric Vehicle Batteries (Pending) Biography: House website | Wikipedia | Ballotpedia |
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Photo courtesy House Democrats |
Name: Brianna Thomas (1981 - ) Party: Democrat District: 34 King County Years served: appointed 2025 - current Occupation: Labor and policy advisor Notable legislation: Pending Biography: House website | LinkedIn | Ballotpedia |
