'Trailblazer' is a memoir by Carol Moseley Braun, first Black woman elected to Senate

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: A Deep Dive into "Trailblazer" by Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun

Podcast Information:

• Title: NPR's Book of the Day
• Host: Michelle Martin
• Episode Title: "Trailblazer" – A memoir by Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate
• Release Date: July 17, 2025

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Introduction to Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun and Her Memoir

In this compelling episode of NPR's Book of the Day, host Michelle Martin engages in an insightful conversation with Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, the pioneering first African American woman elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992. Braun discusses her new memoir, Perseverance and Life in Politics, detailing her groundbreaking journey and the myriad challenges she faced while forging her path in American politics.

Notable Quote:

"If Carol Moseley Braun's name comes up, the other word that has to come up is first." – Michelle Martin [02:18]

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Motivation Behind Writing the Memoir

Braun reveals a personal catalyst for penning her memoir—a heartfelt interaction with her young grandbaby. When her grandson inquired, "Are you famous?" she realized the importance of documenting her experiences for future generations.

Notable Quote:

"I think that now is the time." – Carol Moseley Braun [02:38]

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From Activism to Political Candidacy

Braun recounts her transition from being a homemaker and Assistant U.S. Attorney to entering the political arena. Her journey was unexpectedly sparked by environmental activism—specifically, her involvement in protesting the removal of the Bobolinks from Jackson Park. Encouraged by fellow protesters to run for state representative, Braun was initially hesitant but ultimately inspired by skepticism expressed by a Chicago pundit that no one believed she could win.

Notable Quote:

"A pundit here in Chicago who said, don't run. You can't possibly win... 'because you're a woman.'" – Carol Moseley Braun [03:54]

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Facing Skepticism and Discrimination

As the first Black woman and the first female senator from Illinois, Braun encountered significant prejudice and skepticism. She shares anecdotes highlighting the disbelief and biases she faced, including mistaken identity scenarios and hostile receptions.

• Taxi Incident: After a long day as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, a police officer mistook her for a sex worker due to her presence on a Chicago street corner.

  Notable Quote:

  "Cause I was a black woman standing on the corner in downtown Chicago." – Carol Moseley Braun [04:28]

• First Day at the Senate: Upon her first day, a Capitol police officer barred her entry until his colleague recognized her status, underscoring the lack of acceptance she initially faced.

  Notable Quote:

  "I looked at him, like, quizzically, like, why? Why can't I?" – Carol Moseley Braun [04:45]

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Navigating Structural Challenges in the Senate

Braun delves into the logistical and systemic hurdles she encountered as a senator. One significant issue was the overwhelming volume of mail she received, which was exacerbated by inadequate support from Senate leadership.

• Mail Overload:

  Despite her efforts, Braun struggled to manage the deluge of correspondence, receiving her mail in bulk-filled duffel bags without additional staff assistance.

  Notable Quote:

  "They gave me a room in the basement of the Capitol that was filled with these duffel bags full of mail." – Carol Moseley Braun [05:28]

• Impact on Performance:

  The lack of support contributed to perceptions that she was not fulfilling her duties effectively, making it challenging to meet the high expectations placed upon her.

  Notable Quote:

  "If you do the job, then people can't take potshots at you." – Carol Moseley Braun [06:23]

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Challenges Leading to a Single Senate Term

Braun candidly discusses the factors that led to her serving only one term in the Senate. The combination of unprecedented expectations, compounded by her identity as a Black woman, placed her under immense pressure that was unsustainable.

Notable Quote:

"I was… held to a set of expectations that border on the unreasonable." – Carol Moseley Braun [06:14]

She reflects on the difficulty of balancing the demands of her constituents, such as attending numerous events, with the limited resources and support available to her.

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Legacy and Paving the Way for Future Generations

Despite the challenges, Braun emphasizes her role in breaking barriers and setting a precedent for future leaders. She hopes her experiences provide a roadmap for others, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity and the importance of focusing on one's responsibilities amid external pressures.

Notable Quote:

"Don't get distracted with all the noise around you... just keep focusing on what the people elected you to do." – Carol Moseley Braun [08:03]

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Reflections and Continued Advocacy

Braun expresses no regrets about her tenure, affirming that she did her best under the circumstances. Her ongoing commitment to public service is evident, as she continues to inspire others through her memoir and public engagements.

Notable Quote:

"I really did, and I still am." – Carol Moseley Braun [07:19]

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Conclusion

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun's Perseverance and Life in Politics offers an unflinching look into the life of a trailblazing woman who navigated the complexities of American politics while confronting and overcoming systemic barriers. This episode of NPR's Book of the Day not only highlights her historical significance but also underscores the enduring impact of her legacy on future generations of leaders.

Notable Quote:

"I'm still here. So while I'm still here and able to tell the story, that's why the book made sense to do well." – Carol Moseley Braun [07:50]

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About the Author

Carol Moseley Braun has had a distinguished career in public service, from serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney to making history as the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Senate. Her memoir provides a candid and inspiring account of her journey, offering valuable lessons in perseverance, leadership, and the pursuit of equality.

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This summary captures the essence of Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun's discussion on NPR's Book of the Day, highlighting her experiences, challenges, and the enduring impact of her pioneering career.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun was the first African American woman elected to the Senate. This is in 1992, by the way, so not too long ago. But anyway, she's got a new memoir out titled Perseverance and Life in Politics. And in this interview with NPR's Michelle Martin, she does talk about all that she endured blazing that trail in the Senate. But she also talks about her political origin story and how what got her fired up enough to show up at a protest and eventually run for a state representative seat was actually birds. That's coming up.

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[Michelle Martin]

If Carol Mosley Braun's name comes up, the other word that has to come up is first. She was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. senate. She was also the first female senator from Illinois and the first black Democrat elected to the Senate. And while all those titles assured her place in the history books, they didn't assure an easy time in the job. And they certainly don't tell the story of the highs and the high cost of being the first. So Carol Mosey Braun is doing that herself in her new memoir titled Perseverance in Life and Politics, and she's with us now to tell us more about it. Good morning, Ambassador. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Well, I'm so delighted to be with you. Good to talk with you again.

[Michelle Martin]

And it's Ambassador Moseley. Brian, because in addition to having been a US Senator and a number of other offices in politics, you are also U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. So you've been out of public life for a while. What made you want to tell your story now? Was there any particular thing pushing you?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

You know, my little grandbaby, he's seven now, he came and said, grandma Carol, are you famous? And I tried to explain it to him, but it was too many words, and he was only 6 at the time. So I said, you know what? I think that now is the time.

[Michelle Martin]

Why did you decide to get into elected office to begin with? Will you tell that story?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

I've been assistant United States Attorney, and I had my son, and so I was here with him. I was just doing being a homemaker, which was fine. I really enjoyed it. But there were people in the neighborhood who were protesting the removal of the Bobolinks from Jackson Park. And I joined them one day. And the Bobolinks are these little rice birds originally from South Carolina, but somehow they wound up here in Chicago. Okay. And so some of the people with whom I was marching said, we think you should run for state representative. Our state representative is retiring. So at first I demurred and wouldn't do it. But then after I got challenged, there's a pundit here in Chicago who said, don't run. You can't possibly win. The blacks won't vote for you because you're not part of the Chicago machine. The whites won't vote for you because you're black. And nobody's gonna vote for you. Cause you're a woman. And so that was my inspiration. That's what did it.

[Michelle Martin]

And nobody thought you could win except you.

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Nobody thought I could win. She lost all of her mind. Yeah.

[Michelle Martin]

But one of the things that was also interesting in the book is that so many of the jobs that you had, there was a point at which nobody believed you actually had that job. I mean, you tell the story about, like, being an Assistant U.S. attorney and coming home from one of those cold Chicago winters, trying to get home, and you're trying to hail a taxi. This is pre Uber, of course.

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Yep.

[Michelle Martin]

And this police officer keeps riding by you saying, what was he saying? Get off that corner.

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Give up that corner. Give up that corner.

[Michelle Martin]

Give up that corner. And he thought you were a hooker because what. Why else would a black woman dressed up?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Cause I was a black woman standing on the corner in downtown Chicago.

[Michelle Martin]

And then you talked about your first day at the Senate when you tried to get to your office. There was a Capitol police officer who.

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Wouldn'T let me in.

[Michelle Martin]

Wouldn't let you in?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Well, the guy you know, there are always two Capitol police standing on the doors to the Senate. The first guy, he said, you can't go in there. I said. I looked at him, like, quizzically, like, why? Why can't I? Then the other guy piped in and said, oh, she's the new senator from Illinois. And so that backed his colleague off.

[Michelle Martin]

I don't want people to think that the entire memoir is just filled with these insults directed at you, although there were many, like, for example, the senator who would sing Dixie in your presence and so forth. So there's that. But there were some structural issues that you also pointed that made your job more difficult than for other people. Like, for example, the amount of mail that you got. Could you talk about that?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

The mail was really a challenge because there was so much of it. I mean, they gave me a room in the basement of the Capitol that was filled with these duffel bags full of mail. There was no way I could possibly do all of that by myself. And so I went to leadership and I asked for help, assignment of some help. And one guy said to me, well, Ted Kennedy gets a lot of mail, and, you know, he handles it. I'm thinking to myself, you telling me I got to function like Ted Kennedy did us. I was. I was too outdone.

[Michelle Martin]

But they never gave you additional staff just to deal with that?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

No, they did not.

[Michelle Martin]

And do you think that that played some role over the course of your tenure, the kind of angst that's sometimes built up around you, that people felt that you weren't doing the job?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

It might have. It might have. But, you know, again, you can't make everybody happy. But if you do the job, then people can't take potshots at you.

[Michelle Martin]

Well, they did, though.

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Yeah, they did.

[Michelle Martin]

Why do you think you served only one term?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Because of that. You know, there was such expectations, and people expected me to come to every chicken fry in the state, and I couldn't do it. You know, I did as much as I could, but I couldn't do all of it.

[Michelle Martin]

Do you think that's why? I mean, you think that at the end of the day, the expectations of you are just greater than you could as one person fulfill?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

That's part of it, but I think it's also what standards you're being held to. Again, I was kind of the Duckbill platypus of the Senate in the sense that I was not only a woman, but I was black, too. And I am black, too. And so you put those things together, and what you have is a set of expectations that border on the unreasonable, that border on the trailblazing. Groundbreaking, if you will. And so I did my very best to live up to those expectations, but it was not always possible.

[Michelle Martin]

Is there anything you wish you'd done differently?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Well, not really. I did the best job I could while I was planted. I really did, and I still am. I mean, I'm not dead yet. I spoke at a high school, at a grammar school rather, and the school was named after me. And one little boy said, hey, there goes Carol Mosley Braun. And his little friend turned around and said, you mean she's not dead yet? No, she's not dead yet. So I'm still here. So while I'm still here and able to tell the story, that's why the book made sense to do well.

[Michelle Martin]

One of the things about being first is it often makes things easier for people who are next, right? The second and the third and the fourth. Is there something in particular that you think made it easier for them by the fact that you went first?

[Carol Moseley Braun]

Well, I hope the fact that I deflected all of the brickbats that I don't think anybody's going to be held to the same kind of standard I was being held to in terms of, you know, production. I hope that that has really provided a roadmap to people who come after us. Don't get distracted with all the noise around you because there will be lots of noise around you, but if you don't let that distract you and just keep focusing on what the people elected you to do, you'll be fine.

[Michelle Martin]

That is Ambassador Carol Mosley Braun. She's the author of Trailblazer, Perseverance in Life and Politics. Ambassador Mosley Brown, thank you so much for talking with us.

[Carol Moseley Braun]

I'm so happy to talk to you again, Michelle.

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