Wolpe, Howard, 1939-2011

Howard Eliot Wolpe (November 3, 1939 – October 25, 2011) was an American academic, author, diplomat, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he notably served as the U.S. Representative from Michigan's 3rd congressional district from 1979 to 1993 and was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan in 1994.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, he attended the public schools of Los Angeles, graduating from University High School there before earning a B.A. from Reed College and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Wolpe taught at Western Michigan University from 1967 to 1972. From 1969 to 1972, Wolpe served as Kalamazoo City Commissioner; from 1973 to 1976, he served in the Michigan House of Representatives. After losing his 1976 bid for the U.S. House from Michigan's 3rd district, Wolpe worked as a regional representative to U.S. Senator Donald Riegle from 1976 to 1978. He was elected to the Ninety-sixth and the six succeeding Congresses from Michigan's 3rd district. A specialist in African politics for ten of his fourteen years in the Congress, Wolpe chaired the Subcommittee on Africa of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. As chair of the House Africa Subcommittee, Wolpe co-authored (with Rep. Ron Dellums and others) and managed legislation that imposed sanctions against South Africa, by over-riding President Ronald Reagan's veto of that sanctions legislation (the Comprehensive Anti-apartheid Act of 1986). He also authored and managed the passage of the African Famine Recovery and Development Act, a comprehensive rewrite in the 1980s of America's approach to development assistance in Africa that included the creation of the African Development Fund.

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