Hilliard, Earl F. (Earl Frederick), 1942-

<p>Earl Frederick Hilliard (born April 9, 1942) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Alabama who served as the U.S. Representative for the state's 7th district.</p>

<p>Hilliard was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from Morehouse College. He was elected as a Democrat to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1974 and served from 1975 until 1981 and in the Alabama Senate from 1981 until 1992. Hilliard was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1992 from the 7th District, a 65 percent black-majority district stretching from Birmingham to Montgomery. In the process, he became the first Black person since Jeramiah Haralson in 1877 to represent Alabama in Congress. He also became the first Democrat to represent a significant portion of the capital since 1965.</p>

<p>He faced his first serious challenge from Artur Davis in the 2000 Democratic primary election—the real contest in this heavily Democratic district—but prevailed.</p>

<p>Davis challenged Hilliard again in 2002 in a district that had been changed significantly by redistricting. The 7th lost its share of Montgomery, and was pushed further into Birmingham, absorbing a large number of mostly white precincts in that city. The campaign that year was focused on Hilliard's record in office and alleged ethical issues, as well as race, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and terrorism. Hilliard claimed "the only thing" that Davis, also an African American, had done for African Americans was "put them in jail" during his time as a federal prosecutor. In 2001, Hilliard voted against a bill funding increases in military support to Israel and opposing criminalization of Palestinian politicians. Because a third candidate also ran in the Democratic primary, Hilliard finished with the most votes but failed to win a majority; under Alabama law, he then faced a rematch with second-place finisher Davis in a run-off election. Davis won the run-off with 54% of the vote.</p>

HILLIARD, Earl Frederick, a Representative from Alabama; born in Birmingham, Ala., April 9, 1942; graduated from Western-Olin High School, Birmingham, Ala., 1960; B.A., Morehouse College, Atlanta, Ga., 1964; J.D., Howard University, Washington, D.C., 1967; M.B.A., Atlanta University, Atlanta, Ga., 1970; lawyer, private practice; member of the Alabama state house of representatives, 1974-1980; member of the Alabama state senate, 1981-1992; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Third and to the four succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1993-January 3, 2003); unsuccessful candidate for nomination to the One Hundred Eighth Congress in 2002.

<p>Earl Hilliard’s long career in the state legislature catapulted him into Congress—making him the first black Representative from Alabama since Jeremiah Haralson left office during Reconstruction. “We have not had a voice in 117 years,” Hilliard declared upon his first election. “I will be able to articulate the views and opinions of a group that hasn’t had representation in a very long time.”</p>

<p>Earl Frederick Hilliard was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 9, 1942, to Iola Frazier and William Hilliard. Hilliard grew up in a segregated society and chose to attend traditionally black colleges. While a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, Hilliard met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The meeting had a powerful effect on him, as Hilliard vowed to become “one of King’s foot soldiers in the war for racial equality.”2 After receiving a B.A. from Morehouse in 1964, Hilliard received a J.D. at Howard University Law School in Washington, DC, in 1967. In 1970, he received a M.B.A. at Atlanta University in Georgia. He married Mary Franklin in 1967, and the couple had two children: Alesia and Earl, Jr.</p>

<p>Hilliard began his career in elective politics when he won a campaign for a seat in the Alabama state house of representatives in 1975. In 1980, he was elected to the state senate. Hilliard’s senate career focused on helping the urban poor, who constituted the bulk of his Birmingham–area constituents. He also earned a reputation as a hard–fighting, tactical legislator. In 1991, Hilliard declared bankruptcy after a deal to sell a radio station he owned fell through. However, he thought his experience would benefit him as a legislator. “The bankruptcy gave me a chance to pay people back in an orderly manner,” he noted. “I’m able to understand what it is not to be able to pay obligations.</p>