Julia Carson
| Julia Carson | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th district |
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In office January 3, 2003 – December 15, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Brian Kerns |
| Succeeded by | André Carson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 10th district |
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In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew Jacobs, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | District eliminated in reapportionment |
| Member of the Indiana State Senate | |
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In office 1977–1991 |
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| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives | |
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In office 1973–1977 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 8, 1938 Louisville, Kentucky |
| Died | December 15, 2007 (aged 69) Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Resting place | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Divorced |
| Alma mater | Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
| Occupation | political assistant |
| Religion | Baptist |
Julia May Carson (July 8, 1938 – December 15, 2007), born Julia May Porter, was a member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 7th congressional district from 1997 until her death in 2007 (numbered as the 10th District from 1997 to 2003). Carson was the first woman and first African American to represent the 7th District. She was also the second African American woman elected to Congress from Indiana, after Katie Hall.
Carson was born in Louisville, Kentucky. The daughter of Velma V. Porter, she moved to Indianapolis while still a girl and worked in various positions to support her family. She graduated from Crispus Attucks High School in 1955 in Indianapolis. She then attended Martin University in Indianapolis and Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. She was a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority.
In 1965, while working as a secretary at UAW Local 550, she was hired away by newly elected congressman Andrew Jacobs to do casework in his Indianapolis office. When his own electoral prospects looked dim in 1972, he encouraged Carson to run for the Indiana House of Representatives, which she did; she was elected in 1972, serving as a member for four years. In 1976, she successfully ran for the Indiana Senate, where she served for 14 years.
In 1990 she was elected as a trustee for Center Township (downtown Indianapolis), and was responsible for running welfare in central Indianapolis. Carson served six years as a trustee, creating a $6 million surplus from the office's $20 million debt. Jacobs has said Carson "not only took cheats off the welfare rolls, she sued them to get the money". When Jacobs retired in 1996, Carson ran as his replacement in what was then the 10th District, and won Democratic endorsement despite being heavily outspent by party chairman Ann DeLaney, 49 percent to 31 percent.
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