Donald M. Payne

Donald Milford Payne (July 16, 1934 – March 6, 2012) was an American politician who was the U.S. representative for NJ's 10th congressional district from 1989 until his death.

He was a member of the Democratic Party.

The district encompassed most of the city of Newark, parts of Jersey City and Elizabeth, and some suburban communities in Essex and Union counties.

He was the first African American to represent New Jersey in Congress.

Payne was born in Newark and was a 1952 graduate of Barringer High School.

He did his undergraduate studies at Seton Hall University, graduating in 1957.

After graduating he pursued post-graduate studies in Springfield College in Massachusetts.

In 1970, Payne became the first black president of the National Council of YMCAs.

Payne's political career began in 1972, when he was elected to the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, serving three terms.

From 1973 to 1981 he was Chairman of the World Y.M.C.A. Refugee and Rehabilitation Committee.

As early as 1974, Payne set out to become New Jersey's first African-American congressman.

In 1978, Payne ran against, and came in third to, Peter Shapiro in the June primary selecting the Democratic candidate for the first Essex County Executive, with Sheriff John F. Cryan coming in second.

He ran against U.S. Congressman Peter Rodino in the 1980 and 1986 Democratic primaries-the real contest in this heavily Democratic, black-majority district-but lost both times.

In 1982, he was elected to the Newark Municipal Council and served three terms, resigning in 1988 shortly after his election to Congress.

Before being elected to Congress in 1988, Payne was an executive at Prudential Financial, Vice President of Urban Data Systems Inc., and a teacher in the Newark Public Schools.

Rodino retired in 1988 after 40 years in Congress.

Payne defeated fellow Municipal Councilman Ralph T. Grant Jr. by a nearly 4-to-1 margin in the Democratic primary, and was handily elected in November by a nearly 8-to-1 margin.

He was re-elected eleven times with no substantive opposition; his lowest margin was 75 percent in 1994.

1996 Results

1998 Results

2000 Results

As a leading advocate of education, Payne was instrumental in the passage of key legislation, including the Goals 2000 initiative to improve elementary and secondary schools; the School-to-Work Opportunities Act; the National Service Act, establishment of the National Literacy Institute; and funding for Head Start, Pell Grants, Summer Jobs and Student Loans.

Payne was also a member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he served as Chairman of the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health and as a member of the Subcommittee on the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight.

Congressman Payne was at the forefront of efforts to restore democracy and human rights in nations throughout the globe.

He was one of five members of Congress chosen to accompany President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton on their historic six-nation tour of Africa.

He also headed a Presidential mission to war-torn Rwanda to help find solutions to that country's political and humanitarian crises.

In addition, he was recognized as having the most supportive record in Congress on issues involving the Northern Ireland peace process.

On June 22, 2001 Payne was arrested after protesting against the Sudanese government at its embassy in Washington, D.C. He was a supporter of and endorsed the Genocide Intervention Network.

In the 2002 general election, Payne was reelected with 84.5% of the vote, receiving a higher margin of the vote than in any other New Jersey Congressional race run that year.

He was a member, and former chair, of the Congressional Black Caucus and was chosen in 2002 by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to serve on the Democratic Steering Committee.

The Democratic Steering Committee chooses which House Committees each individual Democratic Congressmen will serve on and also plays a crucial part in shaping the Democratic legislative agenda.

In international issues, Payne was active on issues relating to Africa, particularly regarding the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan and the Western Sahara conflict.

In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed Payne as one of two members of Congress to serve as a Congressional delegate to the United Nations and reappointed him in 2005 to an unprecedented second term.

In this role, he met with the U.N. Secretary General, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and regularly attended sessions of the U.N. General Assembly and other high level meetings.

In 2004, the Republicans didn't even put up a candidate, and Payne was reelected with 97% of the vote, against Green Party candidate Toy-Ling Washington and Socialist Workers Party candidate Sara J. Lobman.

In 2006, Payne was unopposed in the primary and general elections.

In 2008, he won 99% of the vote against Green candidate Michael Taber.

In 2010, Payne defeated little-known candidate Micheal Alonso.

Payne's voting record was considered to have been the most consistently progressive of all New Jersey Congressmen at the time of his death.

He was pro-choice and against the death penalty.