Earl F. Hilliard
Encyclopedia
Earl Frederick Hilliard is a politician
from the U.S. state
of Alabama
.
Hilliard was born in Birmingham, Alabama
, and graduated from Morehouse College
. He was elected as a Democrat
to the Alabama House of Representatives
in 1974 and served from 1975 until 1981 and in the Alabama Senate
from 1981 until 1992. Hilliard was elected to the United States House of Representatives
in 1992.
He faced his first serious re-election challenge from Artur Davis
in the 2000 Democratic primary election
but prevailed. Davis challenged Hilliard again in 2002 in a district that had been changed significantly by redistricting, adding many white voters in Birmingham and losing its mostly black portion of Montgomery
. The campaign that year was focused on race
and the Middle East
. Hilliard's surrogates claimed that all Davis, also an African American, had done for African American
s as a federal prosecutor was to "put them in jail". In 2001 Hilliard voted against a bill funding increases in military support to Israel
and opposing criminalization of Palestinian
politicians. Hilliard finished in first place in the election, but he had not won a majority of the vote, so he again faced Davis in a run-off election. Davis won the run-off with 54% of the vote.
Hilliard is a 1960 graduate of Western-Olin High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He received a B.A. in 1960 from Morehouse College
, a J.D.
in 1967 from Howard University
, and an M.B.A. in 1970 from Atlanta University.
He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
fraternity. He is a member of the board of the Congressional Black Caucus
Institute.
Hilliard's son, Earl Hilliard, Jr., is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2010, also in the 7th district.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
Hilliard was born in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, and graduated from Morehouse College
Morehouse College
Morehouse College is a private, all-male, liberal arts, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States....
. He was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Alabama House of Representatives
Alabama House of Representatives
The Alabama House of Representatives is the lower house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The House is composed of 105 members representing an equal amount of districts, with each constituency containing at least 42,380 citizens. There are no term...
in 1974 and served from 1975 until 1981 and in the Alabama Senate
Alabama Senate
The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state, with each district containing at least 127,140 citizens...
from 1981 until 1992. Hilliard was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1992.
He faced his first serious re-election challenge from Artur Davis
Artur Davis
Artur Genestre Davis is a former member of the United States House of Representatives for , serving from 2003 to 2011 when he was succeeded by Terri Sewell, also a member of the Democratic Party....
in the 2000 Democratic primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
but prevailed. Davis challenged Hilliard again in 2002 in a district that had been changed significantly by redistricting, adding many white voters in Birmingham and losing its mostly black portion of Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. The campaign that year was focused on race
Race in the United States
The United States is a racially diverse country. Modern issues of "race", as well as its impact in the political and economic development of the nation, have been examined by numerous historians and researchers across a variety of academic disciplines....
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Hilliard's surrogates claimed that all Davis, also an African American, had done for African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s as a federal prosecutor was to "put them in jail". In 2001 Hilliard voted against a bill funding increases in military support to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and opposing criminalization of Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
politicians. Hilliard finished in first place in the election, but he had not won a majority of the vote, so he again faced Davis in a run-off election. Davis won the run-off with 54% of the vote.
Hilliard is a 1960 graduate of Western-Olin High School in Birmingham, Alabama. He received a B.A. in 1960 from Morehouse College
Morehouse College
Morehouse College is a private, all-male, liberal arts, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States....
, a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1967 from Howard University
Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Howard University. Located in Washington, D.C., it is one the oldest law schools in the country and the oldest historically black college or university law school in the United States...
, and an M.B.A. in 1970 from Atlanta University.
He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
fraternity. He is a member of the board of the Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Black Caucus
The Congressional Black Caucus is an organization representing the black members of the United States Congress. Membership is exclusive to blacks, and its chair in the 112th Congress is Representative Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri.-Aims:...
Institute.
Hilliard's son, Earl Hilliard, Jr., is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2010, also in the 7th district.