Oakar, Mary Rose, 1940-

Mary Rose Oakar (born March 5, 1940) is an American politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio, serving from 1977 to 1993. She was the first Democratic woman elected to the United States Congress from that state and also the first woman of Arab-American ancestry to serve in Congress.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she graduated from Ursuline College in 1962 with a BA, and earned an MA four years later from John Carroll University, both in Ohio. She also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, Westham Adult College in England, and Columbia University in New York City. From 1963 to 1975, Oakar taught at a Cleveland high school and at Cuyahoga Community College. She served on Cleveland’s city council from 1973 to 1976. In 1976, she defeated 11 other candidates in the Democratic primary and then captured 81 percent of the vote to win a heavily Democratic congressional district encompassing much of Cleveland west of the Cuyahoga River. In her seven successful re-election bids through 1990 in the heavily Democratic district, she never faced a serious challenge, often receiving no opposition from Republican candidates.

Oakar, one of very few Arab-American members of the House (she is of Lebanese and Syrian ancestry), became regarded as an increasingly powerful member. She was a high-ranking member of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service and the House Administration Committee. Oakar's high placement on these committees allowed her to bring home to Cleveland large sums of money for urban renewal. Oakar forged strong relationships with Jewish groups in Cleveland. From 1985 to 1989, she was elected to a position in the House Democratic leadership, as Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus. In 1991, she was one of nearly 100 Members of Congress involved in the widespread House banking scandal involving multiple overdrafts and bounced checks, a significant factor in her general election loss in 1992.

After Congress, Oakar was indicted on charges of receiving illegal campaign contributions. She pled guilty in March 1995 and received two years’ probation, community service, and fines. In 1995, she was appointed to the 25-member advisory board for the White House Conference on Aging. Oakar went on to work as a business executive and consultant. She was elected to the Ohio state house of representatives, where she served from 2001 to 2003. In June 2003, Oakar was named President of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. In November 2012, she was elected to a four-year term on the Ohio State Board of Education where she represents District 11 which encompasses Ohio Senate districts 21, 23 and 25.