Yvonne Pearl Brathwaite is an American politician and lawyer from California. She was the first African American woman to represent the West Coast in Congress. Yvonne Watson was born on October 5, 1932, in Los Angeles as the only child of James A. Watson and the former Lola Moore. After first attending a public school, she was sent to a model school for exceptional children. At Manual Arts High School, she was a member of the debate team and served as vice president of the Latin Club her junior year and girls' vice president in her senior year. Burke’s college education began at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1949. She transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, in her junior year. In 1956, Burke received her J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School, graduating in the top third of her class. In law school, when Burke was refused admission to the women’s law society, she and two Jewish female law students started a rival organization. She also played a key role in organizing a legal defense team for those charged in the Watts Riots in 1965 and was soon appointed by the governor to the McCone Commission to investigate the causes of the riots. Burke’s political career began in 1966 with her election as the first African American assemblywoman, representing the 63rd Assembly District of California. She served for three terms. Throughout her tenure in the California legislature, she was an ardent supporter of prison reform, childcare, equal opportunities for minorities and women, and education. Burke grew frustrated with the unresponsiveness of the state legislature and successfully campaigned for a seat in California’s 37th Congressional District in 1973. This gave Burke the distinction of being the first African American female elected to the U.S. Congress from California. During her tenure in Congress, she served on the House Select Committee on Assassinations, House Beauty Shop Committee, and the House Committee on Appropriations; during her tenure on the Appropriations Committee, she fought for increased funding to aid local jurisdictions to comply with desegregation mandates. She served as vice-chairperson of the 1972 Democratic National Convention. She was the first African American and the first woman of color to hold that position. In 1973, with the birth of her daughter, Burke became the first member of Congress to give birth while in office and the first to be granted maternity leave by the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. In 1992, Burke ran for a seat on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. The primary election was held just weeks after the Los Angeles Riots. After a hard-fought campaign that often turned negative, Burke narrowly defeated State Senator Diane Watson. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, Burke focused her efforts on improving the lives of children, encouraging economic development and improving transportation in Los Angeles. Burke held this position until her retirement in 2008.

click here