10 Things You Didn't Know About Roland Burris
Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich named Roland Burris as Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate.
1. Roland Wallace Burris was born Aug. 3, 1937, in Centralia, Ill., to Earl and Emma Burris. He was the youngest of three children.
2. In the 1950s, Earl Burris led a drive to integrate the local municipal swimming pool. On Memorial Day in 1953, Roland Burris, at the age of 15, became the first African-American to swim in the pool.
3. Burris graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1959 with a degree in political science. He earned his law degree from Howard University in 1963.
4. Burris was named to a state budget post in the early 1970s by Illinois Gov. Dan Walker, who was later convicted of bank fraud, perjury, and misapplication of funds.
5. In 1978, Burris was elected comptroller, making him the first African-American to hold statewide office in Illinois. He would go on to serve three terms as comptroller and one term as attorney general.
6. While attorney general, Burris drew criticism when he refused to acknowledge error in the controversial murder conviction of Rolando Cruz, who was later exonerated of the 1983 murder of a 10-year-old girl.
7. Burris failed three times in bids for Illinois governor, including a 2002 primary loss to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
8. Burris once performed as Muhammad Ali in a skit before journalists, lobbyists, and politicians at a banquet in Springfield, capital of Illinois. Wearing shorts and boxing gloves, he repeated one of Ali's famous lines: "I am the greatest."
9. Burris has erected a granite mausoleum for himself in Chicago's Oak Woods Cemetery. Carved under the words "Trail Blazer" is a long list of Burris's accomplishments.
10. Burris is married to Berlean Miller. They have two children, Rolanda and Roland II.
Sources: Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, New York Times, Time
- Read more 10 things features.
- Read more about Rod Blagojevich.
Reader Comments
Burris's role of himself
I think as most Americans that he is no more than a pathetic, sad excuse of a human being. How pathetic that a man has to have a statue made of himself with his so called accomplishments that only he himself thinks he has accomplished.Listen up Burris. An American isn't black,white, yellow, red, green, purple or any other color you wish to chose. An American also isn't German, English, Italian, Russian, Iranian, Chinese, or any other nationality you wish to mention. An American is all of the above believing in a way of life they call "Freedom". Our flag is not a God, (wake up Muslum's & Mexico), its a way of life that our fathers have outlined in our constitution, and have fought and died for,for centuries. All men are created equal regardless of color or nationality. If Burris wants some reccognition then tell him to quit being a racist bigot, not to mention a political thief.Try accepting some accountability for his actions as a man, and just maybe he might be worth remembering. I would have the statue move to his own back yard.
Names of the Roland's two other siblings
What is the name of Roland's sibling Brother who lived in Wisconsin Lake Geneva
Burris is what in 1953?
Back then people of color, like him, were not called AFRICANHYPHENAMERICAN!
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