| Cleo Fields is a 1980 graduate of McKinley High School and a 1984graduate of Southern University in the field of Mass Communications.In 1987, Fields obtained his law degree from the Southern University LawCenter. Upon completion of law school, Fields was elected to theLouisiana State Senate at the age of 24. He became the youngest personever elected to the State Senate in Louisiana's history and at thattime, the youngest in the nation.
In 1992, Fields was elected to the U.S. House ofRepresentatives, representing Louisiana's 4th Congressional district. Atthe age of 29, Fields was the youngest member of the 103rd Congress. In1993, he created a Congressional Classroom for elementary throughsecondary school-age students. Noted for being the first of its kind inthe country, the Congressional Classroom helped students developleadership and self-esteem while understanding the governmental process.It is known today as the Louisiana Leadership Institute.
In 1995, he made a bid for Governor ofLouisiana, leaving a historical mark by becoming the first AfricanAmerican since reconstruction to make the runoff. He then went on tocomplete two terms as Congressman. On December 13, 1997, Fields returnedto the 14th Senatorial District of Louisiana and served until 2008. OnOctober 12, 2019, Fields was re-elected to the 14th Senatorial Districtof Louisiana, making history again by becoming the first person inLouisiana to return to the Senate for the third time.
Fields is a member of the Mt. Pilgrim MissionaryBaptist Church. He is married to Debra and they have two sons, Brandonand Christopher. |