Roland Burris
Roland W. Burris was sworn in as junior senator of Illinois on January 15, 2009. Although he is new to the U.S. Senate, the downstate native is not new to politics.
Roland Burris is a familiar name in Illinois. It is a name you know because he held statewide elected offices for almost two decades. He also is a man who most Illinois voters know they can trust. Roland Burris has made a career of earning people’s trust. He has prepared all his life for a career in public service. From as early as high school in downstate Centralia when he was active in student government, to his college days at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale when he pushed for university reforms, young Roland was always challenging the status quo, advocating for a better quality of life. The first African-American ever elected to statewide office, he has always been a leader, showing the way for others.
By 1990, Burris had already served 17 years in government when Illinois voters trusted him to become the state’s top lawyer. He did not disappoint. As Illinois Attorney General, Burris was more than just an enforcer of state laws; he was an advocate for law and order. His initiative added grand jury powers to the office of attorney general to help other law enforcement agencies go after drug dealers doing business across county lines. He created the Women’s Advocacy Division to help protect women who are victims of stalking and domestic violence. He established a Child Advocacy Division to focus on the prevention of child abuse. Burris also created the Civil Rights Division to ensure the protection of Illinois residents’ civil rights.
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