State Senator Margaret Rose Henry
Second Senatorial District
Wilmington, DE

Party Affiliation:   Democrat

Education: Texas Southern University

Occupation:  Executive Director Girls, Inc.

Committees:  Drug Abuse, Public Safety, Health and Social Services,
                                 Joint Finance Committee

Most important problem facing blacks in Delaware:
        Drugs, Crime and Aids

Second most important problem facing blacks in Delaware:
        Economic Equality

Third most important problem facing blacks in Delaware:
        Education
 

       Margaret Rose Henry is Delaware's first African American woman to serve in the Delaware State Senate. In April 1994 she was elected to finish the term of the late Herman Holloway,Sr. Margaret was re-elected in November 1994 to serve a full term, representing the second senatorial district in Wilmington. She has lived in Delaware since 1970. Margaret was born in Rayne, Louisiana, and grew up in Houston, Texas

        She is a graduate of Texas Southern University with a degree in sociology and psychology and a master degree from Springfield College in the field of community leadership and development. She is presently employed at Delaware Technical and Community College in the Corporate and Community Programs Department.

        As administrator for Ingleside Retirement Apartments in Wilmington, she was responsible for the management of a 15-story, 208 unit housing facility for seniors. As executive director for Girls Clubs, (now Girls, Incorporated) for over seven years, she was very instrumental in helping girls realize their potential. She oversaw the management of programs operating in three locations, handling staff recruitment and training responsibilities, while managing various fund-raising activities₇ and program management

        Known for putting others before herself Senator Henry has long been involved in activities and organizations serving the poor, children, families and the elderly. She began her career with the YWCA of New Castle County where she administered the Job Corps program that helped placed disadvantaged corpswomen in both the public and private sector. Margaret was also a foster mother for over twenty years, taking in many troubled teens.

        While senior allocations associate for the United Way of Delaware, she provided technical assistance and consultation to agencies to help them develop their programs. She reviewed and evaluated agency request, and helped volunteer committees with objective and systematic analysis of agency requests for use in decision making.

        During the prosperous I980's, she was director of small business development for the New Castle Economic Development Corporation. Her responsibilities included development and implementation of plans for the enhancement, development and expansion of small and minority businesses with a focus on encouraging and assisting new business development.

        As executive director for Delaware Guidance Services, she was responsible for the administration of child and family counseling services for 3,000 families at five locations throughout the state.

        Senator Henry's volunteer community activities are impressive. Currently, she is state director for Women in Government, she serves on the Board of Trustees for the Medical Center of Delaware, the Brandywine Professional Association (former chair), the Links, Inc. Wilmington Chapter (former president), is a member of the Nominating Committee of Girls Incorporated of Delaware and is a sustainer in the Junior League of Wilmington. She is the Honorary Chair for Delawareans United to Prevent Child Abuse. She was honored by the Delaware YWCA as "Woman of the Next Century." She has also received the honorary Delaware Chapter American Civil Liberty Union's Gerald E Kandler Memorial Award for exemplar life as a public servant and as an advocate for the rights of citizens throughout our community.

        Other activities have included: The Governor's Commission on Families; State Human Relations Commission; Board of Trustees for the Grand Opera House; member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission Advisory Committee; Chair of the City of Wilmington Civil Rights Commission; Board member for the YMCA of Delaware; Comrnissioner for Boy Scouts; Board of Directors, YWCA of New Castle County; a Board member for Child, inc. and Interfaith Housing Delaware; and treasurer and board member of the National Society of Fund laaising Executives, Brandywine Chapter. Prior to her election to the Senate, Margaret was appointed by the Governor to serve as the Delaware Arts Council.

        She is most proud that as a divorced mother, she raised two sons, John and Marcus, who are both successfully out on their own. She is now the proud grandmother of Myles Isaha Henry who refers to her as "Mimi."