Former Democratic South Dakota Sen. James Abourezk, who was the first Arab-American elected to the federal legislative chamber, died Friday. He was 92.
Former US senator from South Dakota James Abourezk dies at 92 newscenter1.tv - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newscenter1.tv Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
James Abourezk, who was the first Arab American U.S. senator, has died. He was a South Dakota Democrat who grew up on the Rosebud Indian Reservation and was known for his quick wit as he advocated for populist causes. Abourezk s son, Charles Abourezk, said his father died at his home in Sioux Falls on Friday after going into hospice care earlier this week. Abourezk represented South Dakota for single terms in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate during the 1970s. He was the first chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and authored the Indian Child Welfare Act. After retiring from the Senate, he founded the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. He died on his birthday, at the age of 92.