Mfume was born as Frizzell Gerard Tate[1] in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 24, 1948, the eldest of four. As a child, his name was changed to Gray after his stepfather, a truck driver who abandoned his family in Gray's youth. Upon the death of his mother, Gray dropped out of high school at 16 to begin working as many as three jobs at a time to support his three sisters. He also began hanging around on street corners, which included being in the company of gang members.
He changed his name to Kweisi Mfume in the early 1970s.[3]
In his 1996 autobiography, No Free Ride, Mfume wrote that he "was locked up a couple of times on suspicion of theft because [he] happened to be black and happened to be young." Speculation as to the degree of his entanglement with the law has varied, especially as he later came into prominence. He fathered five children with several different women during his teenage years. He has since adopted another child.[4][5]
Mfume received a B.S. degree from Morgan State University in 1976 and an M.A. degree from the Johns Hopkins University in 1984.[6]
Mfume made himself known as a Democrat with an apparent balance between progressive ideologies and a capacity for practical compromise, representing a district that included both West Baltimore and suburban and rural communities, though his primary goal was an increase in federal aid to American inner cities. From 1993 to 1995, Mfume served as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.[8]
NAACP
Mfume and Dayton, Ohio NAACP President Derrick L. Foward meet for the first time at the NAACP National Convention, 2017
In February 1996, Mfume left the House to accept the presidency of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), saying that he could do more to improve American civil rights there than in Congress.[9] He reformed the NAACP's finances to pay off its considerable debt while pursuing the cause of civil rights advancement for African Americans. Though many in Baltimore wanted Mfume to run for mayor in the 1999 election, he stayed with the NAACP.[10]
Mfume stepped down from the NAACP in 2004 after an internal investigation of allegations that he had sexually harassed female subordinates.[11] He acknowledged dating an NAACP employee,[12] and in May 2005 apologized for having had the affair while leading the organization.[13]
The NAACP reportedly paid out $100,000 to settle Mfume's alleged improprieties.[14]
On March 14, 2005, Mfume announced that he would seek the U.S. Senate seat of incumbent Paul Sarbanes, following Sarbanes's announcement that he would not seek reelection in 2006.[15] Mfume lost the Democratic primary for this seat on September 12, 2006, to U.S. Representative Ben Cardin.[16]
In the wake of his primary defeat, Mfume was believed to be considering running for mayor of Baltimore in 2007, though he had not publicly expressed interest in it.[17][18] On November 13, 2006, Mfume told a Baltimore-area radio station, "I don't have any plans to run for mayor. She [incoming mayor Sheila Dixon]'s worked for and deserves an opportunity to lead. ... I want her to succeed. I want the city to be united. I think at this point we owe her at least the opportunity to try to lead it."
In May 2013, Mfume was named chair of the board of regents of his alma mater, Morgan State University. He assumed the position on July 1, 2013, succeeding the interim chair Martin Resnick.[22]
From 2013 to 2018, Mfume was the principal investigator for the Health Policy Research Consortium.[23]
Back in the U.S. House of Representatives (2020–present)
On November 4, 2019, Mfume announced his candidacy for the special election for his old congressional seat to fill the vacancy created by the October death of his predecessor, Elijah Cummings.[24] On February 4, 2020, Mfume won the Democratic nomination, defeating Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Elijah Cummings's widow. As the 7th is a heavily Democratic district, this all but assured Mfume's return to Congress after a 24-year absence. He defeated Republican nominee Kimberly Klacik in the general election on April 28, 2020[25][2] and was sworn in on May 5.[26]
His first marriage to Linda Shields was from 1972 to 1975; it ended in divorce.[1]
In 2012, he married Tiffany McMillan, the granddaughter of Enolia McMillan, the first female president of the NAACP.[33] He has six children, including Michael Mfume, who wrote, produced, directed and starred in the 1992 slasher film Ax 'Em.
^Matthew Mosk; Cheryl W. Thompson (April 28, 2005). "Mfume Accused of Favoritism At NAACP". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 17, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020. Mfume acknowledged yesterday that he dated one of the women in that altercation, a female NAACP employee
^Nitkin, David (May 17, 2005). "Affair with staffer a mistake, Mfume says". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020. has acknowledged having an affair with one of the women, D'Andrea Lancelin
^Brewington, Kelly (May 23, 2005). "Scandal at top of NAACP felt little by local organizations". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 1, 2020. Though the allegations against Mfume prompted the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to reportedly pay a settlement of about $100,000 to a former female employee, many local leaders in the nation's oldest civil rights organization say they are relieved that the public relations damage isn't worse.
^Donovan, Doug; Fritze, John (January 6, 2007). "Keiffer Mitchell to run for mayor". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on October 16, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019. Many believed that the Bolton Hill resident was going to wait until former U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume decided whether to seek the office.
^Brown, Geoff; Iglehart, Ken; Rath, Molly; Weiss, Max (March 1, 2007). "Power 50". Baltimore. Archived from the original on October 16, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019. Baltimore's former congressman dominated the 2007 mayoral election into February—without so much as suggesting he wanted to run.
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