Congressman James E. Clyburn, a native of Sumter, South Carolina, currently resides in Columbia. He was first elected to Congress in November, 1992, and served on the Veterans Affairs and the Transportation, and Infrastructure; Committees through the 105th Congress, where he was the ranking member on the Veterans Affairs' Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee.
After the November 1998 elections, Congressman Clyburn was elected Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus for the 106th Congress. His election to head this august body was by a rare unanimous vote. He is currently a member of the Democratic Steering Committee, and : the House Appropriations Committee, where he is a member of the Subcommittees on Transportation and Energy and Water Development.
Following his graduation from South Carolina State University, Congressman Clyburn served as a teacher, an employment counselor, and director of two youth and community development projects in Charleston, South Carolina. He was appointed to the staff of Governor John C. West in January 1971, and in October 1974 Governor West appointed him South Carolina Human Affairs Commissioner where he served until retiring from state government in 1992 to run for Congress.
Congressman Clyburn currently serves on the governing boards of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina and Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. He is a life member of the N.A.A.C.P., a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and is a Mason and Shriner.
A graduate of the South Carolina Executive Institute, Congressman Clyburn has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees by twelve Colleges and Universities; Winthrop, the Medical University of South Carolina, the College of Charleston, Claflin, Saint Augustine in North Carolina, Voorhees, Benedict, Bowie State in Maryland, The Citadel, the University of South Carolina, Morris College and his alma mater South Carolina State.
Congressman Clyburn is married to the former Emily England of Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The couple has three daughters, Mignon, Angela, and Jennifer Clyburn Reed, a son-in-law, Walter Reed, and two grandchildren, Walter A Clyburn Reed and Sydney Alexis Reed.
