Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Democratic Congressional Representative, Dies at 74

Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston, Texas-area Democratic congressional representative and longtime member of the Congressional Black Caucus, died on Friday at age 74, her family announced. The news comes just under two months after Jackson Lee was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“With incredible grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. A local, national, and international humanitarian, she was acknowledged worldwide for her courageous fights for racial justice, criminal justice, and human rights, with a special emphasis on women and children,” her family said in a statement Friday.

Born in New York City in 1950, Jackson Lee received her BA from Yale University in 1972 and a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1975. She moved with her husband to Houston later that decade and began her political career as a municipal judge in the city from 1987 to 1990. She served on the Houston city council from 1990 through 1994 and that same year was elected to congress for the first time.

During her 29 years as a member of congress, Jackson Lee was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus known for her dogged support for various progressive issues and racial justice. She was also a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights and immigrants rights and known as an effective congressional representative throughout her career.

She was also dogged by accusations of mistreating staff. In 1998, 5 staffers quit, according to the Houston Press because of how she treated them. In 2011 it was reported that she had among the highest turnover rates of staff of all congress. She served as chair of the CBC for years but in 2019 stepped down from that role after a former aide sued her for wrongful termination, alleging she was fired because she reported a rape committed by a supervisor who reported to Jackson Lee.

Jackson Lee ran for Mayor of Houston in 2023, ultimately coming in second in the runoff election. During the campaign, audio was leaked in which she berated and spoke abusively to staff members. She later apologized and confirm the audio was authentic.

She’s survived by her husband of 51 years, Elwyn Lee, a University of Houston official, and their 2 children.