Shirley M. Kitchen

Shirley M. Kitchen (D3) Philadelphia County, 1996-2016

Early Life:

Shirley M. Kitchen, born September 18, 1946, Augusta, Augusta–Richmond County, Georgia; daughter of Ferman and Ruth Sanders Few; education, Philadelphia Public School System; Antioch University human services, (B.A.), 1979; Temple University (Certificates), Child Care, Behavior Modification and Economic Development; social worker, Philadelphia County; director of constituent services, Philadelphia city council President John F. Street 1986-1987; leader, 20th Ward Democratic Executive Committee; member, Democratic State Committee 2001-2006; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1987-1988; unsuccessful campaign, reelection, 1989 term; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate 1997-2016; appointed, board, Public School Employees Retirement System (2009-2010), five children.

Early Career:

Social worker; board member, Saint Joseph’s Hospital; Philadelphia Democratic Executive Committee; North Philadelphia Housing Community Development Corporation; member ex officio, North Central Empowerment Zone; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); member, advisory committee, Calcutta House; ward leader, 20th ward; East of Broad Coalition; co-sponsor/founder, North Philly Dazzling Diamonds.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives 1987-1988; unsuccessful campaign, reelection, 1989 term.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 3^rd district, 1996-2016; minority chair, Public Health and Welfare Committee; member, Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Public Health and Welfare, Transportation and Urban Affairs and Housing Committees; member, Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. Second African-American woman to serve in the Pennsylvania State Senate and at the time of her retirement, was the only African-American woman member of the Senate.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/BiosHistory/MemBio.cfm?ID=278&body=H

Cited: 

Pennsylvania Manual, Biographies of Members of the Senate, pg. 3-17; Volume 113, December 1997. Pennsylvania Manual, Biographies of Members of the Senate, pg. 3-19; Volume 122, December 2015.