By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor
At the beginning of a city council meeting this morning, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced that the former Mayor and current Houston Congressman Sylvester has died — to the shock of many.
During their caucus meeting this morning, nembers of Congress were also shaken by the news of Sylvestor’s death.
Sylvester Turner served as the 62nd Mayor of Houston from 2016 to 2024.
Senior staff on Capitol Hill informed Black Press USA that Congressman Turner became ill sometime after President Trump’s address last night.
Today, the Congressional Black Caucus has their weekly Wednesday meeting where they will grapple with their colleague’s death and the news of the possible censure by House Republicans of another Texas congressman: Rep. Al Green.
Turner, who was one of 9 children, was born and raised in Houston. He graduated from Harvard Law School, with a Juris Doctorate. After law school, Turner returned to Houston and established himself as a lawyer and a hardworking community leader. In 1983, Turner co-founded the law firm Barnes & Turner.
The firm was focused on public service. Turner was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1988. He served for over 25 years and was an influential leader in the legislature. Turner focused on the working-class issues of the era: education, health care, and issues facing the local economy in Houston.
Turner was elected in 2024 to fill the congressional seat of late Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee after her death from pancreatic cancer.
