In
November 1992, Eva M. Clayton became the first woman in North Carolina history
elected to Congress. She represents its First Congressional District. Before
her election to Congress, Clayton had been an outstanding leader in state and
local government as well as the private sector. Clayton was an advocate for
rural health care, housing assistance and job training.
Clayton served as chairperson
of the Housing Steering Committee of the Notional Association of County Officials
and president of the Housing Assistance Council in Washington D.C. As a member
of the Warren County Board of Commissioners from 1980-1 990, she helped create
a rural health care facility, secure 900 jobs and 555 million in investments
and pass a bond issue for school construction. Because of these accomplishments,
her peers named her the state's most outstanding county commissioner in 1990.
Clayton was Assistant Secretary
for Community Development with the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources
and Community Development. Her ventures into private enterprise include founding
a management and consulting company, Technical Resources International, LTD.
(TRI), specializing in economic development and the directorship of the Soul
City Foundation.
Clayton's roots run deep
in North Carolina's soil. She received her entire education there: bachelor's
degree from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte and master's degree from
North Carolina Central University at Durham. She also offended law school and
the Government Executive Institute School of Business Administration at the
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
During her promising first
year in the 103rd Congress, she served on the Agriculture and Small Business
Committees and was elected president of the Democratic Freshman Class. She was
the first woman so honored.
