Mary Rose Oakar

Mary Rose Oakar (March 5, 1940 – September 13, 2025) was an American Democratic politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio from January 3, 1977, to January 3, 1993. Over eight consecutive terms in Congress, she became a prominent figure in Ohio and national politics and was widely recognized for a series of historic firsts: she was the first Arab American woman, the first Syrian American, and the first Lebanese American woman to serve in Congress, as well as the first Democratic woman elected to the United States Congress from the State of Ohio. Her tenure in the House of Representatives coincided with a significant period in American history, and she played an active role in the legislative process and in representing the interests of her constituents.

Oakar was born on March 5, 1940, in Cleveland, Ohio, to parents of Middle Eastern heritage, with family roots in both Syria and Lebanon. Growing up in a working- and middle-class environment in Cleveland, she was exposed early to the concerns of immigrant and ethnic communities and to the civic life of a major industrial city. This background helped shape her later interest in public service and in issues affecting urban neighborhoods, education, and working families.

Oakar was educated in Catholic schools in the Cleveland area and went on to attend Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, Ohio, where she earned a bachelor’s degree. She pursued graduate studies at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, receiving a master’s degree. Before entering elective office, she worked as an educator, teaching at both the high school and college levels, and became involved in local civic and political activities. Her experience in the classroom and in community organizations informed her later legislative focus on education, student assistance, and opportunities for young people.

Oakar’s formal political career began in local and state-level Democratic politics in Ohio, where she built a reputation as an energetic organizer and advocate. Drawing on her background as an educator and community leader, she successfully ran for Congress in 1976 as a Democrat from a Cleveland-area district, taking office in the 95th Congress on January 3, 1977. She was reelected seven times, serving eight terms in total, and became one of the most visible members of Ohio’s congressional delegation. During her years in the House of Representatives, she served on key committees, including the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, where she worked on legislation related to financial regulation, urban development, federal employees, and postal issues.

Throughout her congressional service from 1977 to 1993, Oakar participated fully in the democratic process and was known for her attention to constituent services and her advocacy for her district, which included parts of Cleveland and its suburbs. She supported measures aimed at strengthening education, expanding access to student loans and grants, and improving opportunities for working- and middle-class families. As one of the few women in Congress during much of her tenure, and as the first Democratic woman from Ohio, she was an early and visible voice on issues of gender equity and representation. Her status as the first Arab American woman in Congress also made her a symbolic figure for Arab American communities nationwide, and she was frequently consulted on matters affecting ethnic and immigrant populations.

After leaving Congress in January 1993, Oakar remained active in public life and Democratic politics in Ohio. She continued to speak and work on issues related to education, civil rights, and the participation of women and minorities in the political process. In later years, she returned to formal public service as a member of the Ohio State Board of Education, where she drew on her earlier professional experience as a teacher and her long-standing interest in educational policy. In that role, she contributed to deliberations on statewide education standards, school governance, and the needs of students across Ohio.

Mary Rose Oakar died on September 13, 2025. Her career left a lasting imprint on Ohio and national politics, particularly through her pioneering role as the first Arab American woman and first Democratic woman from Ohio to serve in the United States Congress, her eight-term record of legislative service from 1977 to 1993, and her later work on the Ohio State Board of Education.