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Hilda Howland Mae Mason (June 14, 1916 – December 16, 2007) was a politician and statehood advocate in Washington, D.C. She was a member of the D.C. Statehood Party and served as an at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia from 1977 to 1999, becoming the longest-serving elected official in the city's history. Raised in Altavista, Virginia, Mason moved to Washington, D.C., in 1945.〔 She worked as a teacher and then an assistant principal.〔 She chose the middle name Howland in recognition of a northern white woman who taught Mason and other southern black women.〔 It was on the picket lines where she met Charlie Mason, a white man who had graduated from Harvard University and Howard University Law School.〔 They married at All Souls Church in 1965.〔 In the mid-1990s, Mason's mental condition came into question, and her behavior was described as "sometimes-erratic and unpredictable".〔Valerie Strauss, "Mason's behavior worries allies, foes alike", ''The Washington Post'', Aug. 1, 1995, p. B1.〕 She began calling herself the "Grandmother to the world".〔James Jones, "Loose Lips: Brazil Takes Offense", ''Washington City Paper'', Nov. 17, 2006.〕 Statehood Party officials tried to get her to retire, which she resisted, but eventually they succeeded, only to realize that they had nobody to replace her, at which point they worked to persuade her not to retire. By then, however, the electorate was tired of the issue and she finished third in an at-large race that elected two council members.〔J.Y. Smith and Joe Holley, "Vocal Former Member Of D.C. Council Pushed Home Rule, Education", ''The Washington Post'', Dec. 18, 2007, p. B1.〕〔Mike DeBonis, "Hilda Mason Dies at 91", ''Washington City Paper'', Dec. 17, 2007.〕 ==Political career== * April 2, 1977 — appointed by the D.C. Statehood Party to fill the at-large council seat left vacant by the death of Julius Hobson * July 19, 1977 – elected at-large council member in special election (narrow win over Barbara Sizemore) * November 7, 1978 — reelected at-large council member * November 2, 1982 — reelected at-large council member〔 * November 4, 1986 — reelected at-large council member〔 * November 6, 1990 — reelected at-large council member〔 * November 8, 1994 — reelected at-large council member〔 * November 3, 1998 — ran for reelection but was defeated in general by Phil Mendelson and David Catania (the at-large race has two winners)〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hilda Mason」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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