Cory Booker is a prominent American politician and lawyer who serves as the senior United States senator from New Jersey.
Born on April 27, 1969, in Washington, D.C., he grew up in Harrington Park, New Jersey, in a household shaped by his parents’ pioneering roles as among the first Black executives at IBM.
Raised in a religious environment within the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Booker has often spoken about the values of service, faith, and community that were instilled in him early on.
Siblings
Cory’s siblings include two older brothers, Cary Booker and John Taylor Booker.
Cary Booker has been described as a guiding figure in his life, acting almost like a third parent who imparted valuable lessons on grit, love, and perseverance.
Cory has publicly shared tributes to Cary, particularly around National Siblings Day, which coincides with Cary’s birthday, highlighting their close bond.
Career
Cory Booker’s career spans significant roles in public service, beginning after his education at Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in sociology while playing varsity football.
He later studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and obtained his law degree from Yale Law School in 1997.
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After law school, Booker moved to Newark, New Jersey, where he founded a nonprofit providing legal aid to low-income residents and challenged slumlords.
He entered politics as a Newark City Council member from 1998 to 2002.
In 2006, he was elected mayor of Newark, serving until 2013 and overseeing periods of economic revitalization, crime reduction efforts, and increased investment in the city.
His tenure as mayor gained national attention for innovative approaches, including heavy use of social media to engage constituents.
In 2013, Booker won a special election to the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy, becoming the first Black senator from New Jersey.
He was reelected in 2014 and again in 2020, continuing to serve.
In the Senate, he has focused on criminal justice reform, co-authoring key legislation like the First Step Act to address mass incarceration.
He also ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 but withdrew before primaries concluded.
Accolades
Booker has earned various accolades and recognitions that highlight his impact.
As a high school athlete, he was named to the USA Today All-USA High School Football Team in 1986.
His social media presence led to a Shorty Award in the government category for best microblog in 2010.
As mayor, he received honors from organizations like the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence for his work against illegal guns.
His Senate contributions, particularly in bipartisan criminal justice efforts, have been widely noted as groundbreaking reforms.
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