Born: 1973
Stacey Yvonne Abrams (/ebrmz/; born December 9, 1973) is an American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, serving as minority leader from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Abrams founded Fair Fight Action, an organization to address voter suppression, in 2018. Her efforts have been widely credited with boosting voter turnout in Georgia, including in the 2020 presidential election, when Joe Biden narrowly won the state, and in Georgia’s 2020–21 regularly scheduled and special U.S. Senate elections, which gave Democrats control of the Senate. Abrams was the Democratic nominee in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, becoming the first African-American female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the United States. She narrowly lost the election to Republican candidate Brian Kemp, but refused to concede, accusing Kemp of engaging in voter suppression as Georgia Secretary of State. News outlets and political science experts have been unable to determine whether voter suppression affected its result.[10][11] In February 2019, Abrams became the first African-American woman to deliver a response to the State of the Union address.
Born on December 9, 1973, in Madison, Wisconsin, Stacey Abrams is the second of six siblings. Her parents, Robert and Carolyn Abrams, later moved the family to Gulfport, Mississippi, where her father worked in a shipyard and her mother served as a librarian.[13][14][15] In 1989, the family relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, as her parents pursued graduate divinity degrees at Emory University.[16][17] They eventually became Methodist ministers and returned to Mississippi with their three youngest children, while Abrams and two of her siblings remained in Atlanta.[16][18][19]
Abrams attended Avondale High School, where she distinguished herself academically and graduated as valedictorian in 1991.[20] During her time in high school, she participated in the prestigious Telluride Association Summer Program in 1990, which further sharpened her intellectual abilities and provided her with valuable experiences.[21]
At the age of 17, Abrams’s talents caught the attention of a congressional campaign, and she was hired as a typist and later as a speechwriter based on the improvements she made to a campaign speech.[22] This early exposure to politics ignited her passion for public service and set her on a remarkable path.
In 1995, Abrams earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies, with a focus on political science, economics, and sociology, from Spelman College, graduating magna cum laude. During her time at Spelman, she also worked in the youth services department, demonstrating her commitment to empowering young people within her community.
After completing her undergraduate education, Abrams went on to attend Yale Law School, where she excelled academically and displayed her leadership skills. She served as president of the Yale Black Law Students Association and co-founded the Yale Journal of Law and Social Policy. Abrams earned her Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 1999 and embarked on a career focused on civil rights advocacy.
Throughout her professional career, Abrams has championed voting rights and fought against voter suppression. She has been a vocal advocate for fair elections and equal access to the ballot box. In 2018, Abrams founded Fair Fight Action, an organization dedicated to combating voter suppression and promoting fair and free elections.
Her tireless efforts to increase voter turnout in Georgia have had a significant impact. Notably, her work played a crucial role in Joe Biden’s narrow victory in the 2020 presidential election, as well as in the Democratic Party’s success in the 2020-21 regularly scheduled and special U.S. Senate elections, which resulted in Democrats gaining control of the Senate.
In addition to her work in politics, Abrams has also made significant contributions as an author. She has written both nonfiction and fiction books, including Our Time Is Now and Lead from the Outside, which became New York Times bestsellers. Before 2021, she wrote eight fiction books under the pen name Selena Montgomery. In May 2021, Abrams released her novel While Justice Sleeps under her real name. She has also penned a children’s book titled Stacey’s Extraordinary Words, which was released in December 2021.
Stacey Abrams has undoubtedly made her mark on American politics, women’s history, and the fight for justice and equal rights. Her groundbreaking achievements as the first African-American female major-party gubernatorial nominee in the United States and her ongoing efforts to address voter suppression have paved the way for future generations. Through her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to fairness, Abrams continues to inspire countless individuals and shape the course of American democracy.