TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — In memory of Rep. Carrie Meek, who passed away on Nov. 28, Gov. DeSantis has announced that flags will be lowered to half-staff on Dec. 5 in Tallahassee and Miami.
Meek was the grandchild of a slave and a sharecropper’s daughter who became one of the first Black Floridians elected to Congress since Reconstruction.
Meek attended Florida A&M University, graduating in 1946 with her B.A. in biology and physical education. She also starred on the track and field team during her time in Tallahassee.
Meek represented part of Dade County in the Florida House of Representatives from 1979 until 1982. She served on various committees during her time in the Florida House, including as Chair of the Planning & Programs Committee and Vice-Chair of the Higher Education Committee.
In 1982, she became the first black woman to be elected to the Florida Senate and served District 36 until 1992. In 1992 she was one of the first black Floridians elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
She spent 10 years in Congress, most notably advocating for her Haitian constituents and securing aid for recovery after Hurricane Andrew. Meek will be remembered for her devotion to the communities she served.
