18 Facts About Shirley Weber

Shirley Weber is an American academic and politician serving as the secretary of state of California.

Shirley Weber was previously a member of the California State Assembly for the 79th Assembly District, which includes portions of San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City and all of Lemon Grove and La Mesa.

Shirley Weber is the first African American to have been elected to the California State Legislature south of Los Angeles.

Shirley Weber is the first African American to serve as California's secretary of state and the fifth to serve in a statewide position.

Shirley Weber was born in Hope, Arkansas, and raised in Los Angeles.

Shirley Weber's father was a farmer and left school after sixth grade but encouraged Weber and her seven siblings to prioritize their education.

Shirley Weber earned a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and PhD in communication from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Shirley Weber is a professor emerita of Africana studies at San Diego State University.

Shirley Weber helped to establish that department in 1972 and became its chair, teaching there for 40 years.

Shirley Weber was president of the National Council for Black Studies from 2002 to 2006.

Shirley Weber served as a board member and later president of the San Diego Board of Education from 1988 to 1996.

Shirley Weber served as chairwoman of the San Diego Citizens' Equal Opportunity Commission.

Shirley Weber promoted the development of a state university location in Chula Vista as a satellite or extension campus of the California State University system.

In 2020, Shirley Weber authored Assembly Bill 3121, which created a California Reparations Task Force to study how to redress slavery in California; the task force met for the first time in 2021.

Shirley Weber is the first African American to serve as secretary of state.

Shirley Weber was sworn in on January 29,2021, having been confirmed unanimously by the state senate the day before.

Shirley Weber won a full term in the 2022 election.

Shirley Weber's daughter, Akilah Weber, is a physician and was a member of the La Mesa City Council from 2018 to 2021.