Former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun has been elected board chair of The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, the museum announced Monday.
“As the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Senate, Carol Moseley Braun has a long history of championing civil rights, social justice and educational equity. Her appointment to the role of Board Chair aligns perfectly with the museum’s continued efforts to preserve and promote the rich history and cultural contributions of African Americans and Black people worldwide,” museum officials said in a news release.
“I am deeply honored,” Moseley Braun, who grew up on the South Side, said in the release. “Since its inception in 1961, the museum has served as a pillar of connection and convener for the Black community. I look forward to collaborating with the museum’s leadership, staff, and community partners to further its mission and ensure it remains a powerful force for cultural preservation and education.”
Moseley Braun has served on the museum’s board since 2018.
“She was elected by a unanimous vote by the board of trustees and is seen as a pivotal moment for the museum, which is poised to expand its impact and reach in the coming year with the opening of the Obama Presidential Center,” according to the release.
The museum is in Washington Park about 1½ miles from the site of the Obama Presidential Center that’s slated to open in Jackson Park next year.
Moseley Braun, 77, served in the Senate from 1992 to 1998, before she was appointed ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa for a two-year stint. She subsequently undertook failed bids for president and mayor of Chicago.
She was appointed by former President Joe Biden last spring as chair of the United States African Development Foundation, an independent U.S. government agency established by Congress to invest directly in African grassroots enterprises and social entrepreneurs.
In February, the City Council honored her with the passage of a resolution that recognized Moseley Braun’s contributions to Black history.