Longtime Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has died, her family announced Friday evening, leaving behind a legacy of decades in public service, advocacy for womens’ rights and racial equality and a reputation as a tireless advocate for the city. 

She was 74. 

“Her legislative victories impacted millions, from establishing the Juneteenth Federal Holiday to reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act,” the family statement read. “However, she impacted us most as our beloved wife, sister, mother and Bebe (grandmother). She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire all who believe in freedom, justice and democracy.”

Funeral arrangements are pending, according to the statement. 

Plaudits and praise for Jackson Lee began to pour in on social media from local and national figures.

“She has worked with and advised Presidents of our great country, met with global leaders, and has been embraced by world renowned artists,” former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “But her work on the ground, in some of the poorest and under-resourced communities; the channeling of billions of federal dollars back to her district; her presence at someone’s bedside, giving words of comfort to families who lost loved ones; her appearances at places of worship and events showcasing the global diversity of our City; and her uncanny ability to be everywhere, working every day for those who needed a champion, made her truly exceptional.

“Even if you disagreed with her politics, you had to respect her work ethic. We can honestly say Sheila Jackson Lee left it all on the field,” he continued. “Rest in peace my sister.”

Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a close ally and friend of Jackson Lee, said her name belongs among “the pantheon of legendary Texas leaders.”

“Through crises and disasters — as well as triumphs — Sheila’s ceaseless and unwavering dedication to those she represented served as an inspiration and source of strength to me in my career,” Ellis added.

Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia lauded Jackson Lee’s impact: “The word ‘tireless’ gets thrown around in politics, but there’s no one I’ve ever met with that kind of work ethic who could compare Congresswoman Jackson Lee. Her work didn’t only benefit the Houstonians she represented for decades; it helped make our nation better for all Americans. Saying she will be missed is an understatement. My condolences to her family and to all who loved her. Thank you, Congresswoman, for your dedication to our city, county, state and country.”

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa issued a statement calling Jackson Lee a “Texas Democratic giant and Houston powerhouse.”

“Known for her relentless advocacy, the congresswoman dedicated her life to public service, advancing civil rights, healthcare reform, and disaster recovery,” Hinojosa said. “This unwavering commitment to her constituents in Houston’s 18th district propelled Congresswoman Jackson Lee as one of the most respected and influential figures in the U.S. House.”

New York native

Jackson Lee, a Democrat and chief deputy whip in the House of Representatives, announced June 2 that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, telling supporters she would “approach it with the same faith and the same courage” with which she lived her life. 

That life took her from her birthplace of New York City, moved her to Houston, the city she called home, and eventually landed her in the halls of Congress representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District. 

Born in 1950 in Queens, New York, Jackson Lee grew up the oldest of two siblings during the Civil Rights era. Her father, Ezra Jackson, was the son of Jamaican immigrants who worked as a comic book artist for Marvel and day laborer. Her mother, Ivalita Bennett Jackson, was a nurse in the city through most of Jackson Lee’s childhood. 

After graduating from Jamaica High School, Jackson Lee attended Yale University as a member of the university’s first co-ed class and graduated with a degree in political science in 1972. During her time there, she was a deacon at the church on campus and met Elwyn Lee, a Houston native and her future husband. 

Jackson Lee earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia Law School in 1975, while Elwyn Lee attended Yale Law School. After a brief stint in Washington, the couple settled in Houston in 1978, where Jackson Lee began working as an attorney for Fulbright & Jaworski. They shared two children, Jason and Erica Lee. 

Jackson Lee’s interest in Houston politics began soon afterward. She ran unsuccessfully for municipal judge three times during the 1980s before she was appointed to the municipal bench in 1987 by then-Mayor Kathy Whitmire. 

That appointment proved to be the springboard Jackson Lee needed: Two years later, she won her first election to an at-large seat on Houston City Council. 

She made a reputation for herself on council as a productive legislator and was described as a “tireless” worker and advocate for gun control, homelessness, juvenile crime, affordable housing and domestic violence, according to Houston Chronicle archives. 

There, she won enough allies and made enough friends around the city to consider running for a higher office. 

Ahead of the 1994 federal elections, 18th Congressional District Rep. Craig Washington had gained a reputation for missing votes. Jackson Lee threw her name into the race with the backing of liberals and conservatives alike.

Following a bitter campaign, Jackson Lee defeated Washington in the Democratic primary before coasting to victory in the general election later that year. 

Since then, was reelected 15 times, largely uncontested and never with less than 70 percent of the vote.

Prolific speaker

In D.C., Jackson Lee’s reputation as a tireless advocate hit the national stage. 

The day she was sworn in, Jackson Lee gave her first speech from the House floor, railing against special interests in politics, declaring, “We are not for sale.”

That speech was the first of a prolific streak of floor appearances that she became known on Capitol Hill for. She used those speeches from the House floor to lobby for gay rights long before it was the mainstream position of the Democratic Party. She also was a consistent and vocal advocate for racial justice Black Lives Matter protests of the past decade. 

In her Congressional biography, she said her colleagues dubbed her the “Voice of Reason” because of her advocacy for equal rights.  

Her famous public speaking skills brought her to Michael Jackson’s funeral in 2007, where she gave a eulogy on behalf of the House of Representatives. She also spoke at George Floyd’s funeral in Houston in 2020.

Despite her passionate championship of liberal causes, Jackson Lee was regarded as someone who could work with Republicans to pass bipartisan legislation. 

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, authored a law making Juneteenth a federal holiday and a law to study the creation of an Emancipation Trail from Galveston to Houston with Jackson Lee. 

Texas’ junior senator, Republican Ted Cruz, said he would cherish the “friendship and laughs we shared throughout the years.”

Mayoral run

In 2023, Jackson Lee announced a run for Houston mayor, declaring her intention to “come home” to the city. 

Her campaign for mayor inspired many liberals but failed to break through to the broader public. At mayoral debates and forums last year, she regularly drew the loudest and most passionate supporters, many of whom would line up for the opportunity to shake her hand after the event. 

After a breakneck campaign centered around a progressive vision for the city, Jackson Lee was eventually defeated by Mayor John Whitmire in a December runoff. She announced she would return to Congress and run for reelection in 2024 just days later. 

Her campaign for mayor was weighed down by her reputation as an outspoken progressive as voters largely preferred Whitmire’s more moderate brand. She also faced accusations of being a bad boss throughout the campaign, highlighted by the leak of audio where she was heard berating and cursing out a Congressional staffer. 

Jackson Lee did not confirm the audio’s authenticity but said she regretted its contents.

She was also twice sued by former staffers over her management of her Congressional office. 

A 2011 lawsuit by a former legislative director said Jackson Lee’s office required 16-hour work days and failed to make accommodations for their vision impairment. In 2019, Jackson Lee was sued by a woman who said she was fired after coming forward with a claim she was sexually assaulted by a former supervisor at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. She denied any wrongdoing, and both lawsuits were dismissed.

Jackson Lee also shared close friendships with people of all walks of life who find the stories of the congresswoman’s time in Washington with the person they know. 

In an October interview, Nina Hendee recalled Jackson Lee’s appearance at the 2010 funeral for Hendee’s son. Jackson Lee waited in a long line of well wishers to greet Hendee and her husband Edd, with whom she owns the Taste of Texas restaurant. 

Once the congresswoman made it to the front of the line, Hendee told her she should have informed them she was there so she could have skipped the line.

“I didn’t come as a politician, I came as a mom,’” Hendee recalled Jackson Lee telling her during an embrace.

The couple share conservative political beliefs that often put them at odds with Jackson Lee, Hendee said, but they helped fund Jackson Lee’s first run for Congress and Jackson Lee was a frequent guest on Edd’s conservative Houston radio talk show before it ended in 2017.

“I think we’re so polarized in the country that we have preconceived notions about people that are not correct,” Hendee said. “Sheila does things and I cringe, and that’s OK. It’s OK to have friends who have completely opposite views.”

Ally to democratic leadership

While her presence in Washington made her friends and enemies, former Congressional interns from her office have found their own way in politics since working for Jackson Lee.

Former employees of her Congressional office have launched political careers of their own. 

Former At-Large Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards once interned for Jackson Lee. Edwards ran a failed U.S. Senate campaign against Cornyn in 2020. Edwards ran for mayor in 2023 but dropped out of the race after Jackson Lee entered it and announced she was running for the 18th Congressional District. 

After losing in the runoff for mayor, Jackson Lee defeated Edwards in the most competitive Democratic primary of her career. 

Another former intern, Isaiah Martin, briefly ran for the 18th Congressional District while Jackson Lee was running for mayor, but he dropped out when she decided to run for reelection to Congress. 

Martin said his career has been inspired by watching and working with Jackson Lee. 

“She really inspired me because I had never met anyone quite like her,” Martin said. “She was so strong and so passionate and someone who always demanded excellence. I think that kind of thing is what drew me to want to learn from her.”

In Congress, Jackson Lee was a close ally of President Joe Biden and other members of Democratic leadership. 

Following the announcement of her passing, national political figures also expressed grief over her loss and appreciation for her conviction when championing the issues she cared most about. 

“Rep. Jackson Lee is a legacy Black Caucus member who always told me the same thing when we walked by each other on the floor: “We will end gun violence,” wrote U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat. “I’m sending her family love and keeping them in my prayers tonight.”

Shannon Watts, founder gun control nonprofit Moms Demand Action, also noted Jackson Lee’s strident support of gun control, calling her a “fierce and joyful warrior.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttiegeg called Jackson Lee an “extraordinary advocate for her district and her values.”

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