Bonnie Watson Coleman

Democrat Representative of New Jersey's 12th district

Representative
New Jersey, district 12
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2017
Representative
New Jersey, district 12
January 3, 2017 - January 3, 2019
Representative
New Jersey, district 12
January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2021
Representative
New Jersey, district 12
January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2023
Representative
New Jersey, district 12
January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2025

202-225-5801

@RepBonnie

watsoncoleman.house.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

February 6, 1945 (79 years old)

Birthday

Has served as the U.S. representative for New Jersey’s 12th congressional district since 2015.
Served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2015.
First African-American woman to represent New Jersey in Congress.
Born in Camden, New Jersey, and raised Baptist.
Graduated from Thomas Edison State College with a B.A. in 1985.
Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Established the first Office of Civil Rights, Contract Compliance and Affirmative Action in the New Jersey Department of Transportation in 1974.
Held various positions in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs starting in 1980.
Served on the Governing Boards Association of State Colleges from 1987 to 1998 and was its chair from 1991 to 1993.
Became the first African American woman to lead the state party as chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee in 2002.
Served as Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly from 2006 to 2010.
Co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls in 2016.
Co-sponsored the International Megan’s Law.
Voted against a House resolution opposing efforts to boycott the State of Israel in 2019.
Committee assignments include the Committee on Appropriations.
Member of several caucuses including the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus.
Advocates for programs allowing criminal offenders to reenter society.
Co-signed a letter condemning Azerbaijan’s offensive operations against Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020.
Married twice, with three children, and has been open about her sons’ past legal issues.
Underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in 2018.
Tested positive for COVID-19 in January 2021, believed to have contracted it during the storming of the Capitol.