Biographical and Historical Note

Donna F. Edwards was born in Yanceyville, North Carolina, on June 28, 1958. She is an alumni of Wake Forest University (1980), where she earned degrees in English and Spanish; she studied in Salamanca, Spain, while at Wake Forest. She also attended New Hampshire School of Law (1989). A member of the Democratic party, Edwards was elected to the U.S. House as a representative for Maryland's 4th district, serving from 2008 to 2017. She was the first black woman elected to Congress from the state of Maryland.

While in Congress, Edwards served on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Standards and Official Conduct, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, where she served as the lead Democrat on the Subcommittee on Space. She also ran for U.S. Senate in Maryland in 2016 but lost. Beginning in January 2017, she spent some time traveling around the United States in an RV. In July 2017, Edwards announced that she had been diagnosed with the autoimmune disease multipe sclerosis. She was a Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law in 2017. Edwards has one son, Jared.

Collection Overview

This collection follows Edwards' time in Congress, approximately 2008 to 2016. It includes letters, information on congressional trips, photographs, budget documents, and information regarding committees on which the congresswoman served.

Collection Inventory

• Correspondence
  • Congressional letters (2008-2016)
    • Congressional letters (2008) Box 1 Folder 11-12
    • Congressional letters (2009) Box 1 Folder 13
    • Congressional letters (2010) Box 1 Folder 14
    • Congressional letters (2011) Box 1 Folder 15
    • Congressional letters (2012) Box 1 Folder 16
    • Congressional letters (2013) Box 1 Folder 17
    • Congressional letters (2014) Box 1 Folder 18
    • Congressional letters (2015) Box 1 Folder 19
    • Congressional letters (2016) Box 1 Folder 20
  • Federal letters (2008-2016)
    • Federal letters (2008) Box 1 Folder 2
    • Federal letters (2009) Box 1 Folder 3
    • Federal letters (2010) Box 1 Folder 4
    • Federal letters (2011) Box 1 Folder 5
    • Federal letters (2012) Box 1 Folder 6
    • Federal letters (2013) Box 1 Folder 7
    • Federal letters (2014) Box 1 Folder 8
    • Federal letters (2015) Box 1 Folder 9
    • Federal letters (2016) Box 1 Folder 10
  • International letters (2009-2016)
    • International letters (2009) Box 1 Folder 35
    • International letters (2012) Box 1 Folder 36
    • International letters (2013) Box 1 Folder 37
    • International letters (2016) Box 1 Folder 38
  • Local letters (2009-2016)
    • Local letters (2009) Box 1 Folder 21
    • Local letters (2010) Box 1 Folder 22
    • Local letters (2012) Box 1 Folder 23
    • Local letters (2013) Box 1 Folder 24
    • Local letters (2014) Box 1 Folder 25
    • Local letters (2015) Box 1 Folder 26
    • Local letters (2016) Box 1 Folder 27
  • Maryland letters
    • Maryland letters (2009) Box 1 Folder 28
    • Maryland letters (2010) Box 1 Folder 29
    • Maryland letters (2012) Box 1 Folder 30
    • Maryland letters (2013) Box 1 Folder 31
    • Maryland letters (2014) Box 1 Folder 32
    • Maryland letters (2015) Box 1 Folder 33
    • Maryland letters (2016) Box 1 Folder 34
• House Armed Services Committee materials
  • American Embassy Wellington Security and Safety briefings New Zealand (2014 December ) Box 3 Folder 15
  • Blue White Future: Israel-Palestine reports, briefings (2012 January 6) Box 3 Folder 6
  • CODEL Davis: Afghanistan trip plans and briefings (2009) Box 3 Folder 19
  • CODEL Hartzler: trip plans and briefings Germany, Italy, Afghanistan (2011) Box 3 Folder 4
  • CODEL Pelosi Spain, Qatar, Afghanistan, Germany trip plans and briefings (2010 May 6 - 10) Box 3 Folder 2-3
  • CODEL Roby: Belgium, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Ireland trip plans and briefings (2012) Box 3 Folder 9
  • Kabul, Afghanistan trip plans (2011) Box 3 Folder 5
  • Secretary Clinton Iranian-U.S. relations Arab News article (2010 February 15 ) Box 4 Folder 14
  • UNRWA briefings, reports (undated ) Box 3 Folder 7
  • U.S. Congress CODEL Schatz-Murphy: Hawaii, Japan, South Korea, Philippines trip plans and briefings (2016 July ) Box 3 Folder 17-18
  • U.S. Embassy Manila CODEL Schatz-Murphy Philippines trip plans and briefings (2016 July ) Box 3 Folder 16
  • U.S. House CODEL visit to Israel, Palestine and Kingdom of Jordan itinerary (2010 February 12-19 ) Box 4 Folder 3
  • U.S. House CODEL visit to Turkey trip plans (2016 May ) Box 4 Folder 2
  • Women's leadership mission and CODEL: Israel and Palestinian Territory, trip information, briefings (2012 February ) Box 3 Folder 8
• Subject files
  • Affordable Care Act Briefing materials (2009) Box 1 Folder 45
  • "And Still I Rise," personal copy (2015) Box 1 Folder 46
  • H.R. 2998, American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, autographed bill (2009 June 23) Box 6 Folder
  • Autographed portrait (undated ) Box 6 Folder 1
  • Annual U.S. H.R. wall calendar (2009-2016) Box 6 Folder 4
  • Brennan Legacy Awards Dinner booklet (2008) Box 1 Folder 42
  • Congressional Black Caucus, et al, amicus brief in Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District v. Eric Holder (circa 2009) Box 5 Folder 1
  • Congressional delegation and leadership mission: Israel Palestinian Territory and Jordan briefings (2014 May 10-18) Box 3 Folder 10-11
  • Congressional Representational Allowance (2008-2016) Box 1 Folder 39
  • Congressional Women's Caucus reports Afghanistan (2008-2009) Box 3 Folder 1
  • Event and Congressional pamphlets (2009-2016) Box 1 Folder 44
  • Event programs (2009-2016) Box 5 Folder 5
  • Fiscal Year 2015 Civil Works Budget (2014 March ) Box 2 Folder 52
  • Gaza City, Operation Cast Lead, trip materials (2009 May ) Box 6 Folder
  • Government shutdown materials (2013) Box 1 Folder 43
  • Inaugural ceremonies program and related materials (2013 January 21 ) Box 5 Folder 3
  • Memorial programs (2008-2016) Box 5 Folder 6
  • Lapse in House funding documents (2011) Box 1 Folder 41
  • National African American History Month Proclamation (2016) Box 6 Folder 3
  • NATO special operations headquarters visit photos and documents (2013 September ) Box 4 Folder 8
  • New American Foundation Israel/Palestine trip (2009 May) Box 1 Folder 1
  • Obama, Barack, meeting agenda and State of the Union transcripts (2012-2014) Box 5 Folder 7
  • Photographs (circa 2008-2016) Box 6 Folder 2
  • Politico magazine issue featuring Edwards (2009 July 10) Box 6 Folder 5
  • Sequester budget cut documents (2013) Box 1 Folder 40
  • Shakespeare Theatre Company, "Will on the Hill," compact disc (2010 April 26) Box 6 Folder 7
  • Signed bill covers, photocopy (2009) Box 5 Folder 4
  • Sudanese Embassy arrest materials (2009 April 27 ) Box 5 Folder 2
  • U.S. Antarctic Program National Science Foundation Congressional delegation schedule of events (2014 Dec 13-21 ) Box 3 Folder 12
  • U.S. Congress Conference on H.R. 3080 materials (2013 November ) Box 1 Folder 47-48
  • U.S. House Democratic Member Services Members Handbook (undated ) Box 4 Folder 4
  • U.S. House Democratic Steering and policy committee: committee assignments (2015 Janurary 21 ) Box 4 Folder 12-13
  • U.S. House CODEL Lowey Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates (2010 February ) Box 4 Folder 9
  • U.S. House CODEL visit to Colombia trip plans and information (undated ) Box 4 Folder 10
  • U.S. House CODEL visit to Haiti trip plans (August ) Box 4 Folder 7
  • U.S. House CODEL visit to Panama trip plans and information (undated ) Box 4 Folder 11
  • U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, Technology CODEL McMurdo Station Antarctica trip plans and briefings (2011 Dec 13-21) Box 3 Folder 13-14
  • "Visit to the Mod" photograph (2016 July 21) Box 6 Folder
• Transportation & Infrastructure Committee materials
  • American Association of Port Authorities conference committee requests (2013) Box 4 Folder 43
  • Amtrak review documents (2015 May 27 ) Box 2 Folder 46
  • CODEL Shuster Panama, Colombia, Cuba: trip plans, briefings (2016 June 24-30) Box 4 Folder 48
  • Committee Caucus organization ( 113th Congress) Box 2 Folder 1
  • Committee meeting with United Kingdom Transportation (2014 February 4) Box 2 Folder 4
  • Dept. of Transportation, Disadvantaged business entrepreneurship meeting materials (2013) Box 4 Folder 24
  • Economic Development subcommittee: border station construction hearing (2016 May 18 ) Box 3 Folder 27
  • Economic Development subcommittee: disaster costs roundtable (2015 March 18) Box 2 Folder 38-39
  • Economic Development Subcommittee: Federal Protection Services hearing (2014 May 21) Box 2 Folder 12
  • Economic Development subcommittee: Federal real estate footprint hearing materials (2013 May 22) Box 4 Folder 21
  • Economic Development subcommittee: FEMA reauthorization hearing materials (2013 September 20 ) Box 4 Folder 25
  • Economic Development subcommittee: FEMA reauthorization hearing materials (2013 October 2) Box 4 Folder 38
  • Economic Development subcommittee: FEMA hearing (2015 January 23) Box 2 Folder 31
  • Economic Development subcommittee: GSA leasing program roundtable (2014 July 15) Box 2 Folder 18
  • Economic Development subcommittee: GSA tenant agencies hearing (2014 July 30) Box 2 Folder 22
  • Economic Development subcommittee: independent leasing authorities hearing (2016 July 6 ) Box 4 Folder 47
  • Economic Development subcommittee: policy discussion roundtable (2015 February 11) Box 2 Folder 34
  • Economic Development subcommittee: reducing leasing costs hearing (2016 March 1 ) Box 3 Folder 25
  • Economic Development subcommittee: seismic disaster preparedness hearing (2015 May 18 ) Box 2 Folder 44
  • Full committee FEMA hearing materials (2011) Box 4 Folder 17
  • Full committee conference regarding H.R. 1735 (2015 July 14 ) Box 2 Folder 49
  • Full committee conference report on Water Resources Reform and Development Act (2014) Box 4 Folder 15-16
  • Full committee Democratic Caucus Organizational meetings (2015 January 20) Box 2 Folder 29
  • Full committee freight transportation task force report (2013 October ) Box 4 Folder 36
  • Full committee hearing: ATC Reform (2016 February 10 ) Box 4 Folder 1
  • Full committee hearing: "Building the Foundation for Surface Transportation Reauthorization" (2013 December 19) Box 2 Folder 2
  • Full committee hearing: FAA Reauthorization (2014 November 18) Box 2 Folder 28
  • Full committee hearing: FAA Reauthorization (2015 January 21) Box 2 Folder 30
  • Full committee hearing: FEMA's limited role reports, testimonies, related materials (2016 September) Box 5 Folder 8
  • Full committee hearing: Hurricane Sandy Recovery hearing materials (2013 Novmeber 13 ) Box 4 Folder 35
  • Full committee hearing: Philadelphia Amtrak incident (2015 June 2) Box 2 Folder 43
  • Full committee hearing: Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill (2015 February 11) Box 2 Folder 33
  • Full committee hearing: Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill (2015 March 17 ) Box 2 Folder 36
  • Full committee H.R. 7 materials (2012 January 31 ) Box 4 Folder 41-42
  • Full committee markup (2013 December 4) Box 4 Folder 32
  • Full committee markup (2016 February 11) Box 3 Folder 21-24
  • Full committee markup (2016 May 25 ) Box 3 Folder 30-31
  • Full committee markup (2013 July 10 ) Box 4 Folder 26
  • Full committee markup (2016 July 23) Box 4 Folder 46
  • Full committee markup, GSA capital investment and leasing resolutions (2016 December 17 ) Box 5 Folder 9
  • Full committee markup, H.R. 311: Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (undated ) Box 2 Folder 15
  • Full committee markup, H.R. 3095 (2013 September 9 ) Box 4 Folder 39
  • Full committee markup, H.R. 3300, 2026, 311, 935 (2013 October 29 ) Box 4 Folder 37
  • Full committee markup, H.R. 3578 (2013 December 4) Box 4 Folder 29
  • Full committee markup, H.R. 5303: Water Resources Development Act (2016 May 25 ) Box 3 Folder 29
  • Full committee markup on multiple bills (2014-2015) Box 2 Folder 10-11 Box 2 Folder 7 Box 2 Folder 20 Box 2 Folder 24 Box 2 Folder 27 Box 2 Folder 35 Box 2 Folder 40 Box 2 Folder 42 Box 2 Folder 45
  • Full committee markup, Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act (2013) Box 2 Folder 16
  • Full committee markup, Water Resources Reform and Development Act (2013) Box 4 Folder 19
  • Full committee listening session: "state transportation funding solutions" memorandum (2013 September 12) Box 4 Folder 40
  • Highways subcommittee: autonomous vehicles hearing materials (2013 November 19 ) Box 4 Folder 33
  • Highways subcommittee: Capital Investment Grants hearing materials (2013 December 11) Box 4 Folder 30
  • Highways subcommittee: commercial motor vehicles (2015 April 29 ) Box 2 Folder 41
  • Highways subcommittee: Environmental Review and Permitting Process (2014 September 9 ) Box 2 Folder 26
  • Highways subcommittee: hearing on safety grants (2014 January 28) Box 2 Folder 3
  • Highways subcommittee: hearing on Surface Transportation Infrastructure Projects (2014 September 9) Box 2 Folder 25
  • Highways subcommittee: hearing on Rural American Needs (2015 June 19 ) Box 2 Folder 48
  • Highways subcommittee: hearing on Washington Metro (2016 May 20 ) Box 3 Folder 28
  • Highways subcommittee: Highway Trust fund materials (2013 July 23 ) Box 4 Folder 23
  • Highways subcommittee: "Improving the Nation's Highway Freight Network" (2014 February 27) Box 2 Folder 5
  • Highways subcommittee listening session on highways memo (2013 December 4 ) Box 4 Folder 31
  • Highways subcommittee: "Oversight of the...implementation of MAP-21 and Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Request" (2014 March 12) Box 2 Folder 6
  • Highways subcommittee: surface transportation reauthorization roundtable policy discussion materials (2014 March 16 ) Box 4 Folder 34
  • Joint Hearing on the proposed WOTUS Rule (2015 February 4) Box 2 Folder 32
  • Joint Subcommittee hearing on federal maritime navigation programs (2016 September 7 ) Box 4 Folder 49
  • Markup of Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act (2015 October 22) Box 1 Folder 51-52
  • Maryland Port Administration: congressional delegation, State of the Port report (2013 September 12) Box 4 Folder 28
  • Maryland Port Administration: State of the Port report (2013 September 12 ) Box 4 Folder 44
  • Nicollet Island coalition: Water Resources Development Act literature (2013 July ) Box 4 Folder 27
  • Organizational meeting (2015 January 27 ) Box 2 Folder 32
  • "Reducing the Regulatory Burdens Act of 2013" Floor Script (2014 July 30 ) Box 2 Folder 23
  • U.S. Department of Defense section 7001 report (2016 January 29 ) Box 4 Folder 5
  • U.S. House CODEL visit to Haiti trip plan (2009 October 9-11) Box 4 Folder 6
  • U.S. House T&I Committee Democratic WRRDA conferees meeting, memo and information (2014 May 8-9 ) Box 1 Folder 50
  • U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure markup (2013 September 19 ) Box 1 Folder 49
  • Water Resources Development Act materials (2013) Box 4 Folder 45
  • Water Resources subcommittee EPA budget hearing materials (2013 May 22) Box 4 Folder 22
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing Reform and Development Act of 2014 (2015 June 10 ) Box 2 Folder 47
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on abandoned mines (2015 October 21) Box 2 Folder 51
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on Brownfields program (2015 July 20 ) Box 2 Folder 50
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on Changes to CWA Jurisdiction (2014 June 11) Box 2 Folder 14
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on Chief Reports (2014 April 29 ) Box 2 Folder 13
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on Clean Water Act (2014 July 15) Box 2 Folder 19
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on clean water act permit veto (2013 May 5 ) Box 4 Folder 20
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on economic importance of seaports, materials (2011 October ) Box 4 Folder 18
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on EPA planning (2014 July 18) Box 2 Folder 21
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on FY15 (2014 April 2) Box 2 Folder 9
  • Water Resources Subcommittee hearing on Permit Flexibility CWA (2014 July 14 ) Box 2 Folder 17
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on "The Role of Trading in Achieving Water Quality Objectives" (2014 March 25) Box 2 Folder 8
  • Water Resources subcommittee hearing on U.S. Army corps of engineers Chief's report (2016 May ) Box 3 Folder 26
  • Water Resources Subcommittee on Fiscal Year 2016 budget (2015 March 18 ) Box 2 Folder 37

Summary Information

Repository

Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives

Title

Donna F. Edwards Papers

ID

MS863

Date [inclusive]

circa 2008-2016

Extent

6.92 linear feet  5 record cartons, 1 half-document box

Administrative Information

Publication Information

Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives 2018 February

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for limited research. The collection may be displayed, reviewed, and studied for academic purposes, but may not be published for 10 years following the date of gift, December 8, 2016, or the death of the donor, whichever comes first. 

Copyright Notice

The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. 

Preferred Citation

Donna F. Edwards Papers (MS863), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. 

General note

These books are currently in box 6 of the collection:

• A History of the Committee on Science and Technology. 2008.
• Borzutzky, Daniel. Congressional Pictorial Directory: One Hundred Tenth Congress. U S Govt. Printing Office, 2007.
• Coughlin, Daniel P. Prayers Offered by the Chaplain of the House of Representative of the United States . 2000.
• Joint Committee on Printing. Congressional Directory: One Hundred Fourteenth Congress. United States Government Publishing Office, 2015.
• Joint Committee on Printing. Congressional Pictorial Directory: One Hundred Fourteenth Congress. United States Government Publishing Office, 2015.
• Signs from 9/12 and the Tea Parties of 2009 . Let Freedom Ring Publishing , 2010.
• Wickham,Thomas J. House Rules and Manual One Hundred Fourteenth Congress . U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2015.

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