Shirley Nathan-Pulliam

Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (born May 20, 1939) is a former American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. She was the first African-Caribbean woman to be elected to the Maryland General Assembly.[1] Pulliam resigned in 2019 due to poor health.

Shirley Nathan-Pulliam
Member of the Maryland Senate
from the 44th district
In office
January 14, 2015 – December 1, 2019
Preceded byVerna L. Jones
Succeeded byCharles E. Sydnor III
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 10th district
In office
January 11, 1995 – January 14, 2015
Personal details
Born (1939-05-20) May 20, 1939 (age 85)
Trelawny, Jamaica
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDivorced
Childrenthree children; five grandchildren
EducationMico School, Kingston, Jamaica; Naburn and Bootham Park Hospitals School of Nursing, Yorkshire, England, 1960; Baltimore City Hospital School of Practical Nursing, L.P.N., 1962
Alma materBaltimore Community College, A.A. (nursing), 1975; University of Maryland at Baltimore, B.S. (nursing), 1980; The Johns Hopkins University, M.A.S. (administrative science), 1987
ProfessionRegistered nurse, Faculty Associate, The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 1997-2000

Background

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Nathan-Pulliam was born in Trelawny, Jamaica on May 20, 1939. She attended Park Hospital School of Nursing in Yorkshire, England. While studying there she met her husband, a member of the United States Army, they married and moved to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1960.[2]

 

She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Maryland at Baltimore in 1980 and a master's degree in administrative science from the Johns Hopkins University in 1984. In addition to owning her own business, she has been a faculty associate in nursing for Johns Hopkins. Before being elected in 1994, Nathan-Pulliam was active with Democratic Party organizations at the state and national level, as well as with Planned Parenthood of Maryland and various professional nursing organizations. Nathan-Pulliam has received a number of awards for her advocacy on health care.

In the Legislature

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Nathan-Pulliam represented Maryland's 44th Legislative District—located in parts of Baltimore County and Baltimore City—while in the Maryland General Assembly. She was a member of the Education Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. While in the Maryland House of Delegates, Nathan-Pulliam served as a deputy majority whip and as a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee. She was also a member of both the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and of Women Legislators of Maryland.

Legislative notes

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  • voted for income tax reduction in 1998 (SB750)[3]
  • voted in favor of increasing the sales tax whilst simultaneously reducing income tax rates for some income brackets - Tax Reform Act of 2007(HB2)[4]
  • voted in favor of in-state tuition for individuals who are not permanent residents, under certain conditions - Higher Education -Tuition Charges -Maryland High School Students, 2007 (HB6)[5]

Retirement

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Senator Pulliam did not run in the 2020 elections because of health concerns. On January 30, 2023, her name was placed on the facade of the newest multi-million-dollar wing of the University of Maryland Nursing school. On May 18, 2023, she accepted an honorary Doctor of Public Service Degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.[1]

Election results

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1994 General election results District 10

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Voters to choose three:[6]
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Clifford H. Andrews 4,039 6% Lost
Emmett C. Burns Jr. 17,637 27% Won
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam 17,411 26% Won
Beverly E. Goldstein 5,535 8% Lost
Clifton McDonald 4,321 7% Lost
Joan N. Parker 16,919 26% Won

1998 General election results District 10

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Voters to choose three:[7]
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Emmett C. Burns Jr. 23,203 36% Won
Adrienne Jones 20,676 32% Won
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam 21,348 33% Won

2002 General election results District 10

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Voters to choose three:[8]
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Emmett C. Burns Jr. 27,921 31.52% Won
Adrienne Jones 25,655 28.96% Won
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam 26,269 29.66% Won

2006 General election results District 10

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Voters to choose three:[9]
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Emmett C. Burns, Jr. 29,140   34.2%    Won
Adrienne A. Jones 27,064   31.8%    Won
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam 28,544   33.5%    Won
Other Write-Ins 370   0.4%    

2010 General election results District 10

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Voters to choose three:[10]
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Emmett C. Burns Jr. 31,513 31.60% Won
Brian C Eybs (Write In) 16 0.00% Lost
Adrienne A. Jones 29,719 29.80% Won
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam 31,399 31.50% Won
Jeanne L. Turnock 6,837 6.90% Lost
Michael Tyrone Brown, Sr. (Write In) 9 0.00% Lost
Frederick Ware-Newsome (Write In) 11 0.00% Lost
Other Write-Ins 296 0.30% N/A

2014 General election results District 44

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Voters to choose one:[11]
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam 26,261 80.2% Won
Bernard Reiter 6,412 19.6% Lost
Other Write-Ins 51 0.2% N/A

2018 General election results District 44

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Voters to choose one:[12]
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Victor Clark, Jr. 6,280 15.2% Lost
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam 34,834 84.5% Won
Other Write-Ins 86 0.2% N/A

References

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  1. ^ a b Pugh, Catherine (June 14, 2023). "An AFRO salute to Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, former Maryland legislator and life-long health maven". Baltimore Afro-American. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  2. ^ "THE HONORABLE SHIRLEY NATHAN-PULLIAM". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  3. ^ "1998 Regular Session - Vote Record 1229". mlis.state.md.us. April 10, 1998. Retrieved January 31, 2020. SB 750 Third Reading
  4. ^ "HB 2 Third Reading" (PDF). Maryland Chamber of Commerce. November 11, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 9, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2020. HB 2 Third Reading
  5. ^ "2007 Regular Session - Vote Record 0690". mlis.state.md.us. March 26, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2020. HB 6 Third Reading
  6. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial Election". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved January 31, 2020. Legislative District: 10
  7. ^ "1998 Gubernatorial Election". Maryland State Board of Elections. October 24, 2000. Retrieved January 31, 2020. Legislative District: 10
  8. ^ "2002 Gubernatorial Election". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 2, 2002. Retrieved January 31, 2020. House of Delegates: District 10
  9. ^ "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Legislative District 10". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved September 8, 2007.
  10. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  11. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 2, 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  12. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 11, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
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