From the Classroom to Public Service
Alma Shealey Adams was born in High Point, North Carolina, on May 27, 1946. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in art education from North Carolina A&T State University before receiving a Ph.D. in the field from The Ohio State University. For 40 years, Dr. Adams was a professor of art at Bennett College in Greensboro. It was in this academic setting that she honed her focus on civic engagement, famously coining the phrase “Bennett Belles are Voting Belles” to encourage student participation in elections. Her career in public service began at the local level, first as the first African American woman elected to the Greensboro City School Board in the 1980s, followed by a nine-year tenure on the Greensboro City Council.
Two Decades in the State Legislature
In 1994,
Adams was appointed to fill a vacant seat in the North Carolina General Assembly, where she would serve for the next two decades. During her long tenure in the state House, she became a formidable and respected legislator. She chaired the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus and was instrumental in passing key legislation. Her priorities included a successful push to raise the state's minimum wage for the first time in nine years, pioneering the Displaced Homemakers Bill, and fighting for affordable healthcare access. This long and distinguished career in state-level politics established her as a seasoned lawmaker long before she arrived in Washington.
Arrival in Washington
In 2014, when Representative Mel Watt resigned from his seat representing North Carolina's 12th Congressional District, Adams entered the special election to succeed him. She won, and upon being sworn into office in November 2014, she immediately became the 100th woman serving in the 113th Congress. Representing a district that includes most of Charlotte, Adams quickly established herself on Capitol Hill, serving on key committees including the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the House Committee on Agriculture.
A Champion for HBCUs and Education
Drawing directly on her background, Adams has made advocacy for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) a cornerstone of her congressional career. Often called the "Godmother of HBCUs," she founded the Bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus in 2015 to promote the interests of these vital institutions. One of her most significant legislative achievements is the FUTURE Act, which permanently secured $255 million in annual funding for all Minority-Serving Institutions, with $85 million specifically designated for HBCUs. Her work on education extends to sponsoring bills to improve the teacher pipeline and secure infrastructure investments for HBCUs.
Key Policy Priorities and Legislative Record
Beyond education, Congresswoman Adams has a progressive voting record and focuses on what she calls the "4H's": healthcare, housing, hunger, and higher education. She is a co-founder of the Black Maternal Health Caucus and has introduced the comprehensive "Momnibus" package of bills to address the nation's high rates of maternal mortality, particularly among Black women. On the Agriculture Committee, she has focused on nutrition programs and support for small and minority farmers. Her career reflects a consistent focus on social justice, economic opportunity, and using her legislative platform to amplify the needs of underrepresented communities.
