Frederica Wilson

Frederica Wilson
Born	Frederica Patricia Smith 5 11, 1942
Birthplace	Miami, Florida, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, educator
Known for	U.S. Representative for Florida's 24th congressional district; advocacy for Trayvon Martin; signature colorful hats
Education	Fisk University (BS) University of Miami (MS)
Children	3
Website	[[wilson.house.gov wilson.house.gov] Official site]

Frederica Smith Wilson (born Frederica Patricia Smith; November 5, 1942) is an American politician and former educator serving as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 24th congressional district since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson represents a large portion of eastern Miami-Dade County in South Florida, a district that encompasses most of Miami's majority-Black precincts. Before entering Congress, she served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002 and the Florida Senate from 2002 to 2010, building a legislative record centered on education policy and community development. Wilson first gained widespread national attention in 2012 for her outspoken commentary on the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, and she has continued to be a prominent voice on issues of racial justice, education, health care, and infrastructure throughout her congressional tenure. She is also recognized for her distinctive collection of colorful hats — numbering in the hundreds — and her efforts to lift the longstanding congressional ban on head coverings during House sessions, a rule dating to 1837. As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Wilson has wielded influence over federal infrastructure policy and advocated for investment in her South Florida district.

Early Life

Frederica Patricia Smith was born on November 5, 1942, in Miami, Florida. She grew up in Miami, where she was raised in a community that would later form the core of the congressional district she represents. Wilson's early life in South Florida shaped her understanding of the challenges facing Black communities in the region, including disparities in education, economic opportunity, and public services.

Wilson's upbringing in the segregated South during the mid-twentieth century provided formative experiences that influenced her later career in education and public service. Miami during this era was characterized by stark racial divisions, and the neighborhoods where Wilson grew up faced significant underinvestment compared to other parts of the city. These conditions would later inform her legislative priorities, particularly her focus on educational attainment and workforce development for underserved communities.

Details about Wilson's parents and siblings remain limited in available public records. What is documented is that she developed an early commitment to education, both as a student and as a future professional, which led her to pursue higher education at historically significant institutions and eventually to a career as an educator before entering politics.

Education

Wilson attended Fisk University, a historically Black university in Nashville, Tennessee, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree. She subsequently pursued graduate studies at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, earning a Master of Science degree. Her educational background provided the foundation for a career in public education that spanned several decades before she transitioned to elected office. Wilson's experience at Fisk University, one of the most prominent historically Black colleges and universities in the United States, connected her to a broader tradition of Black educational achievement and civic engagement.

Career

Career in Education

Before entering politics, Wilson worked as an elementary school principal and educator in the Miami-Dade County public school system. Her career in education gave her firsthand experience with the challenges facing public schools in underserved communities, including issues related to standardized testing, graduation rates, and educational equity. Wilson became a prominent figure in Miami's education community, and her reputation as an advocate for students — particularly those in low-income and minority communities — helped establish the public profile that would later propel her into politics.

During her time as an educator, Wilson was particularly focused on raising graduation rates and improving outcomes for students in Miami-Dade County. She founded the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young Black males in Miami-Dade County schools, which sought to connect at-risk youth with positive role models from the community. The program became one of the most recognized mentoring initiatives in the county and served as a cornerstone of Wilson's public identity as she moved into political life.

Wilson also became vocal about the effects of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) on students and schools. In a 2012 op-ed in the Sun-Sentinel, she criticized the standardized testing regime and its impact on students' ability to graduate and receive high school diplomas, arguing that the testing system disproportionately affected students in underperforming schools.

Florida Legislature

Wilson's political career began with her election to the Florida House of Representatives in 1998, when she won the seat representing the 104th district. She succeeded Kendrick Meek, who had moved on from the state legislature. Wilson served in the state House from November 3, 1998, to November 5, 2002.

In 2002, Wilson was elected to the Florida Senate, representing the 33rd district. She served in the state Senate from November 5, 2002, to December 31, 2010, when she left to take her seat in the United States Congress. Her successor in the Florida Senate was Oscar Braynon.

During her time in the Florida Legislature, Wilson focused on education policy, juvenile justice, and community development. Her legislative work in Tallahassee built on her background as an educator and established the policy priorities that she would carry into her congressional career. Wilson was known in the state legislature for her advocacy on behalf of students, teachers, and schools in Miami-Dade County, and she worked on legislation related to school accountability, graduation requirements, and educational funding.

United States Congress

Election to Congress

Wilson was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2010, succeeding Kendrick Meek, who vacated the seat to run for the United States Senate. She took office on January 3, 2011, representing what was then numbered as Florida's 17th congressional district. Following redistricting after the 2010 census, her district was renumbered as the 24th congressional district beginning with the 2013 term. The district covers a large portion of eastern Miami-Dade County and includes most of Miami's majority-Black neighborhoods, giving Wilson a constituency deeply connected to the communities she had served throughout her career in education and state politics.

Upon arriving in Washington, Wilson expressed support for Nancy Pelosi's continued leadership of the House Democratic caucus but immediately signaled her opposition to the longstanding House rule banning head coverings during sessions. The ban, which dates to 1837, prohibited members from wearing hats on the House floor — a rule that conflicted with Wilson's well-known personal style of wearing large, colorful hats.

Trayvon Martin Advocacy

Wilson gained significant national attention in 2012 following the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American who was killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, 2012. Wilson was among the earliest and most vocal members of Congress to speak out on the case.

Wilson took to the floor of the United States House of Representatives to call for justice in the case, delivering remarks that drew national media coverage. She described Martin's death as a murder in public statements, a characterization that placed her at the forefront of the national debate over the case.

Wilson also appeared on national television programs to discuss the Martin case, including on CNN, where she elaborated on her position and called for a thorough investigation. She called for the repeal of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which she argued had emboldened Zimmerman and contributed to the circumstances of Martin's death. Wilson's advocacy on the Martin case solidified her national profile and positioned her as a prominent congressional voice on issues of racial justice and gun violence.

Legislative Work and Committee Assignments

Throughout her congressional tenure, Wilson has served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where she has risen to the position of Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. In this role, she has advocated for federal infrastructure investment and has been involved in oversight of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). In October 2025, Wilson joined Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen in opposing what they described as politically motivated cuts in a letter to USACE, arguing that proposed reductions would harm critical infrastructure projects.

Wilson has also been active on health care policy, particularly regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In October 2025, she warned that Miami-Dade County would face a severe health care crisis if ACA subsidies were allowed to expire, noting the county's large population of residents who rely on marketplace insurance plans.

In August 2025, Wilson participated in a Democratic tele-town hall criticizing President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," joining national Democratic leaders in opposing the legislative package.

Education and Workforce Development Advocacy

Consistent with her background as an educator, Wilson has continued to advocate for education policy during her time in Congress. In September 2025, she joined a group of lawmakers urging the Trump administration to protect English language learners, arguing that federal policies should support rather than undermine programs serving students with limited English proficiency.

Wilson has also organized workforce development events in her district. In October 2025, she hosted a job fair in Miami Gardens in collaboration with Miami Dade College and CareerSource South Florida, reflecting her ongoing efforts to connect constituents with employment opportunities.

Public Health Positions

In September 2025, Wilson called on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to remove Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo from his position, arguing that Ladapo should resign or be fired. The call reflected Wilson's broader engagement with public health issues and her willingness to challenge state-level officials on matters she viewed as affecting the well-being of Floridians.

Political Activity and Endorsements

Wilson has remained active in local and regional Democratic politics. In November 2025, she endorsed former Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins in the race for Miami Mayor, stating that "Miami's future depends" on Higgins' leadership.

Tea Party Comments

In August 2011, during her first year in Congress, Wilson made headlines when she described the Tea Party movement as "the real enemy" in remarks that were widely covered by political media. The comment drew both praise and criticism along partisan lines and contributed to Wilson's early reputation in Congress as a forthright and combative voice for her political positions.

Personal Life

Wilson has three children. She resides in her native Miami, Florida, maintaining deep ties to the community she has represented at the state and federal levels for over two decades.

Wilson is perhaps as well known for her distinctive personal style as for her legislative work. She owns several hundred colorful hats, which have become her visual trademark in Washington and in her district. The hats have generated media attention throughout her career, and Wilson has used the attention to highlight what she views as an outdated congressional rule: the ban on head coverings during House sessions, which has been in place since 1837. Wilson has made repeated efforts to have the rule changed, arguing that it is an unnecessary restriction on personal expression. The House eventually relaxed the rule in 2019 as part of a broader rules change that allowed religious head coverings, though Wilson's signature hats were among the catalysts for the discussion.

Wilson's connection to the Bahamas has also been noted in media coverage. She has made courtesy visits to Bahamian officials, reflecting cultural and geographic ties between South Florida and the Caribbean nation.

Recognition

Wilson's national profile rose substantially following her advocacy in the Trayvon Martin case in 2012, which brought her significant media attention and established her as a prominent figure in discussions about racial justice in the United States. Her appearances on CNN, MSNBC, and other national outlets during this period expanded her audience well beyond her South Florida district.

Her 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, founded during her career as an educator, has been recognized as one of the significant mentoring programs in Miami-Dade County. The program's focus on providing positive mentorship for young Black males has been cited as an example of community-based approaches to addressing educational and social disparities.

Wilson's colorful hats have made her one of the most visually recognizable members of Congress, and the attention they have drawn has served as a platform for broader discussions about congressional rules, personal expression, and cultural identity in American politics.

As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Wilson holds a significant position within the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, giving her influence over federal policy on highways, public transit, and related infrastructure programs.

Legacy

Frederica Wilson's career spans multiple domains — education, state politics, and federal legislation — with a consistent focus on the communities of South Florida, particularly the Black neighborhoods of eastern Miami-Dade County. Her transition from elementary school principal to state legislator to member of Congress represents a trajectory rooted in community service and advocacy.

Her founding of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project established an institutional legacy in Miami-Dade County that predates and extends beyond her political career. The program's emphasis on mentoring young Black males addressed a specific need in the community and has continued to operate as Wilson has moved through successive levels of public office.

In Congress, Wilson's role in the Trayvon Martin case marked a pivotal moment in the national conversation about race, justice, and self-defense laws in the United States. Her early and vocal advocacy helped bring the case to national prominence and contributed to the broader movement that would eventually coalesce around issues of police and vigilante violence against Black Americans.

Wilson's efforts to change the House head-covering rule, while initially seen as a personal crusade related to her signature hats, ultimately contributed to a broader conversation about inclusion and accommodation in congressional norms. The rule change enacted in 2019, which permitted religious head coverings on the House floor, reflected a modernization of congressional customs that Wilson had long advocated.

Her continued work on infrastructure, health care, education, and workforce development in her district reflects an approach to representation grounded in constituent services and tangible community outcomes, from organizing job fairs to advocating for the preservation of health care subsidies.