On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver a eulogy for U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee at a church in North Houston. This marks the end of several days of memorials for the respected Democratic lawmaker.
Harris is on the verge of making history as the first Black woman to secure a major political party’s presidential nomination. Meanwhile, Jackson Lee has represented her Texas district for nearly thirty years and has become one of Congress’ most prominent Black women. Her contributions to federal initiatives aimed at protecting women from domestic violence and acknowledging Juneteenth as a national holiday have been pivotal.
After undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, Jackson Lee passed away at the age of 74 on July 19. Following her passing, former California senator Harris released a statement praising her as “one of our nation’s fiercest, smartest, and most strategic leaders in the way she thought about how to make progress happen.”
On Monday, the services for Jackson Lee commenced as hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects to her as her body laid in a flag-draped coffin at Houston’s City Hall. Among the visitors was President Joe Biden, who placed a beautiful bouquet of flowers near her casket and spent some time with Jackson Lee’s family.
Two churches held viewings to remember Jackson Lee on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Representing her Houston-based district and the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1995, the Democrat announced her pancreatic cancer diagnosis on June 2, having previously battled breast cancer.
Jackson Lee’s political career began with her service on Houston’s city council from 1990 to 1994 before being elected to Congress.
Upon her election, Jackson Lee wasted no time in proving herself as a fierce champion for marginalized groups, becoming a prominent voice among House Democrats in the fight for social justice. Her efforts spanned from police reform to advocating for reparations for descendants of enslaved individuals. Jackson Lee spearheaded the first overhaul of the Violence Against Women Act in nearly ten years, which notably included crucial safeguards for transgender, Native American, and immigrant women.
Jackson Lee easily won re-election to Congress multiple times, but her recent mayoral bid in Houston was unsuccessful.
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