Ike Leggett
| Isiah Leggett | |
|---|---|
Leggett at a ribbon cutting ceremony in October 2009
|
|
| 6th Executive of Montgomery County, Maryland | |
|
Assumed office December 4, 2006 |
|
| Preceded by | Doug Duncan |
| Chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party | |
|
In office 2002–2004 |
|
| Preceded by | Terry Lierman |
| Succeeded by | Wayne Rogers |
|
Member of the Montgomery County Council for the At-Large district |
|
|
In office 1986–2002 |
|
| Member of the Human Relations Committee | |
|
In office 1979–1986 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 25, 1944 Deweyville, Texas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Catherine |
| Children | Yaminah |
| Residence | Burtonsville, Maryland |
| Alma mater |
Southern University (BA) Howard University (MA, JD) George Washington University (L.M) |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Politician, Law professor, Public official |
| Awards |
 Bronze Star Medal Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1967–1971 |
| Rank |
 Captain
|
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Isiah "Ike" Leggett (born July 25, 1944) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Maryland, currently serving as the executive of Montgomery County, Maryland. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Born in Deweyville, Texas, Leggett attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and, after serving in the Vietnam War with the U.S. Army, earned a law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 1986, he became the first African-American elected to the county council in Montgomery County, Maryland and served on the council through 2002. He remains the only African-American ever elected to that body at-large.
For two years, Leggett served as the chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party before leaving that position to run for office once again. Leggett was elected County Executive of Montgomery County in 2006, the first African-American to hold that office.
Leggett was born on July 25, 1944 in Deweyville, Texas and grew up with twelve siblings in Alexandria, Louisiana. In Alexandria, he played football for Peabody Magnet High School. He attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, working through school as a groundskeeper in a work-study program and graduating in 1967. In his time as an undergraduate, he was a student leader in the civil rights movement and twice met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He led the on-campus civil rights movement while at the same time commanding the Southern University Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) unit. He was elected president of his class during his senior year and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the first intercollegiate fraternity established for African-Americans. In 1968, Leggett served as a captain in the United States Army during the Vietnam War, first in combat with a Military Advisory Unit attached to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and then as a public affairs officer with the 7th Support Battalion/199th Light Infantry Brigade. He was awarded the Bronze Star for Service. In 1974, he received Master of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from Howard University in Washington, D.C., graduating first in his law school class, followed soon after by a Master of Laws degree from George Washington University. He returned to Howard as a professor in their law school in 1976, and continued teaching at the law school through his election as County Executive in 2006, with the exception of a stint as a White House Fellow under President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Leggett is currently married to his second wife, Catherine.
...
Wikipedia