Cynthia McKinney

Known for her fiery rhetoric and willing to court controversy, Cynthia McKinney is one of the most widely known members of the United States Congress. She is the daughter of Billy and Leola McKinney, an ambitious couple with high hopes for their daughter. Her father was a policeman, at a time when that was dangerous for an African-American, and her mother was a nurse. In 1972, her family became prominent when Billy McKinney was elected to the state House of Representatives. In school, she was a capable and strong-willed student and is known for taking after her outspoken father. She attended college in California, graduating with a Masters of Art in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. Her political career began unexpectedly in 1986 when her father submitted her name as a write-in candidate for state Representative in a district near his. To her surprise, she polled some 40%, and encouraged by her showing, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia and ran in 1988. She won