Carol Moseley Braun: "Trailblazer"

A memoir from Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun detailing her remarkable childhood and political career on the Hill, including her tenure as the first Black female US senator.

The first Black woman ever elected to the Senate. The first woman to represent the state of Illinois. The first Black woman to serve as a US ambassador to New Zealand. These are just a few of the “firsts” that Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun can lay claim to since entering politics in the 1970s. Since then, the self-professed “Black girl from the south side of Chicago” has been shattering ceilings and making history.

Yet her journey to Congress and to international renown was not an easy one, rife with obstacles, controversies, and lessons learned. In Trailblazer, Moseley Braun shares the full story of her extraordinary life in a fascinating narrative filled with poignant, powerful, and sometimes funny stories. Born into a family with a history of civil rights activism and military service dating back to the Civil War, Moseley Braun talks about her childhood in racially segregated Chicago to the present, including marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., running for president as the lone woman in a field of men, and fostering surprising friendships throughout her storied career, from Joe Biden to Hillary Clinton.

Trailblazer is a story of perseverance, a moving narrative from a once-in-a-generation icon, steeped in the civic and civil rights history of our nation. Carol Moseley Braun offers readers a measure of hope and an optimistic letter to future generations on the work we have done and have yet to do to ensure that our country lives up to the promise of liberty and justice for all.

About the Author:

Carol Moseley Braun served as the first African American woman in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 1999. In the Senate, her legislative initiatives ran the gamut from advocating for farmers to civil rights. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois and received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago. Following law school, one of her earliest positions was as an Assistant United States Attorney, where she garnered the Attorney General's Special Achievement Award. Carol is a frequent guest political analyst on the PBS global affairs show with Christiane Amanpour, and has been featured in numerous broadcasts, radio podcasts, and profiles. She appeared in the television series, “DuSable to Obama: Chicago’s Black Metropolis” which aired on WTTV. A devoted mother and proud grandmother of twins, she faithfully serves on the Consecration Committee for the Episcopal Diocese.

About the Program:

• Doors will open to registered attendees at 6 pm.
• Seating for registered attendees is first come, first served.
• All registered in-person attendees will receive a free copy of the book.
• There will not be a book signing following the program.
• Free parking vouchers are available to program attendees who park at the Franklin Street Garage (15 W. Franklin Street) after 4pm. Ask Pratt event staff for your parking voucher prior to or after the program.
• All bags, backpacks, briefcases, etc. entering and exiting the library will be subject to inspection by security personnel. No large bags.

Host or Publisher Enoch Pratt Free Library