Hilda Mason
Hilda Howland M. Mason (June 14, 1916 – December 16, 2007)[1] was a politician and statehood advocate in Washington, D.C. She was a member of the D.C. Statehood Party and served as an at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia from 1977 to 1999, becoming the longest-serving elected official in the city's history.
In the mid-1990s, Mason's mental condition came into question, and her behavior was described as "sometimes-erratic and unpredictable".[2] She began calling herself the "Grandmother to the world".[3] Statehood Party officials tried to get her to retire, which she resisted, but eventually they succeeded, only to realize that they had nobody to replace her, at which point they worked to persuade her not to retire. By then, however, the electorate was tired of the issue and she finished third in an at-large race that elected two council members.[4][5]
Political career
- April 2, 1977 — appointed by the D.C. Statehood Party to fill the at-large council seat left vacant by the death of Julius Hobson[6]
- July 19, 1977 – elected at-large council member in special election (narrow win over Barbara Sizemore)[7]
- November 7, 1978 — reelected at-large council member[8]
- November 2, 1982 — reelected at-large council member[8]
- November 4, 1986 — reelected at-large council member[8]
- November 6, 1990 — reelected at-large council member[8]
- November 8, 1994 — reelected at-large council member[8]
- November 3, 1998 — ran for reelection but was defeated in general by Phil Mendelson and David Catania (the at-large race has two winners)[8]
References
- ↑ Smith, J.Y.; Holley, Joe (2007-12-18). "Vocal Former Member Of D.C. Council Pushed Home Rule, Education". The Washington Post. p. B01. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
- ↑ Valerie Strauss, "Mason's behavior worries allies, foes alike", The Washington Post, Aug. 1, 1995, p. B1.
- ↑ James Jones, "Loose Lips: Brazil Takes Offense", Washington City Paper, Nov. 17, 2006.
- ↑ J.Y. Smith and Joe Holley, "Vocal Former Member Of D.C. Council Pushed Home Rule, Education", The Washington Post, Dec. 18, 2007, p. B1.
- ↑ Mike DeBonis, "Hilda Mason Dies at 91", Washington City Paper, Dec. 17, 2007.
- ↑ Williams, Juan; Coleman, Milton (1977-04-03). "Hilda Mason to Fill Hobson Council Seat". The Washington Post. p. 21. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
- ↑ Coleman, Milton; Morgan, Thomas (1977-07-20). "Mason Leading Sizemore". The Washington Post. p. A1. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics. "Historical Elected Officials: At-Large Member of the Council of the District of Columbia". Archived from the original on 2008-07-16. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
| Council of the District of Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Julius Hobson |
At-Large Member, Council of the District of Columbia 1977–1999 |
Succeeded by Phil Mendelson |
|