Edward W. Brooke
| Edward Brooke | |
|---|---|
 |
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United States Senator from Massachusetts |
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In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1979 |
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| Preceded by | Leverett Saltonstall |
| Succeeded by | Paul Tsongas |
| 51st Attorney General of Massachusetts | |
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In office January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1967 |
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| Governor |
Endicott Peabody John Volpe |
| Preceded by | Edward McCormack |
| Succeeded by | Ed Martin (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward William Brooke III October 26, 1919 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | January 3, 2015 (aged 95) Coral Gables, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Remigia Ferrari-Scacco (1947–1979) Anne Brooke (1979–2015) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education |
Howard University (BA) Boston University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
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| Service/branch |
 United States Army
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| Years of service | 1941–1946 |
| Rank |
 Captain
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| Unit | 366th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Edward William Brooke III (October 26, 1919 – January 3, 2015) was an American Republican politician. In 1966, he became the first African American popularly elected to the United States Senate. He was elected to the Senate from Massachusetts, defeating former Massachusetts governor Democrat Endicott Peabody in a landslide. He served for two terms, and was defeated by Paul Tsongas in 1978.
Upon the death of Harry F. Byrd Jr. on July 30, 2013, he became the oldest living former Senator, and remained so until his death on January 3, 2015.
Edward William Brooke III was born on October 26, 1919, in Washington, D.C., to Edward William Brooke, Jr. and Helen (Seldon) Brooke. He was the second of three children; He was raised in a middle-class section of the city, and attended Dunbar High School, then one of the most prestigious academic high schools for African Americans. After graduating in 1936, he enrolled in Howard University, where he first considered medicine, but ended up studying social studies and political science. Brooke graduated in 1941, and enlisted in the United States Army immediately after the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor.
Brooke was commissioned as an officer, served five years in the Army, saw combat in Italy during World War II as a member of the segregated 366th Infantry Regiment, and earned a Bronze Star Medal. In Italy Brooke met his future wife Remigia Ferrari-Scacco, with whom he had two daughters, Remi and Edwina. Following his discharge, Brooke graduated from the Boston University School of Law in 1948. "I never studied much at Howard," he reflected, "but at Boston University, I didn't do much else but study." His papers are stored at Boston University's Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center.
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