B. Robert "Bob" Lewis Papers

Collection

Identifier: M/A 0395

Staff Only

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Description of Contents

Newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, video recording, and campaign materials documenting Bob Lewis' campaigns for state senate, work as a senator, and death.

Materials in this collection were compiled by Lewis' campaign manager, Louis Schoen.

Dates

Creation: 1970 - 1986

Creator

Lewis, B. Robert (Person)
Schoen, Louis (Person)

Access

The physical collection is available for use in Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library during the department’s open hours. Photographs from this collection are available in the B. Robert 'Bob' Lewis Collection in the Hennepin County Library Digital Collections.

Biography

B. Robert "Bob", "Bert" Lewis, Sr. was a Minnesota state senator representing St. Louis Park from 1973 to 1979. He was the first known African American to serve in the Minnesota Senate. Lewis was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and passionate about issues affecting the poor and mentally ill.

Lewis was born November 2, 1931, in Hutchinson, Kansas. He graduated from the University of Kansas, including a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1960. Before becoming a state senator, Dr. Lewis served on the St. Louis Park school board and the Minnesota State Board of Education. He died from a heart attack on April 25, 1979.