Tommie Broadwater Death, Obituary – According to Jacqueline Broadwater, whose father was a former state senator in Maryland, Tommie Broadwater, he continued to get phone calls and in-person visits from individuals who sought his guidance and counseling while considering whether or not to run for political office well into his 80s. “He had a lot of notoriety. He was always there to help everyone. He offered guidance to everyone, but particularly those who were seeking public office.
People referred to him as the godfather. During a brief phone chat at her father’s estate in Upper Marlboro, she said the following about her late grandfather: “He loved people.” It was verified by Jacqueline Broadwater that her father passed away at 3:17 p.m. on Tuesday. On June 9, he turned 81 years old. She stated that she did not know the specific reason for her husband’s passing on Tuesday evening.
On June 9, 1942, Broadwater was born in Washington, District of Columbia. He was one of ten children. He went to public schools in Prince George’s County and Southeastern University in Washington, D.C., but he eventually dropped out to pursue a career in the insurance industry. After having a difficult life, Broadwater finally succeeded in climbing out of poverty and becoming wealthy. He was only a teenager when he tied the knot with Lillian, and the pair went on to have four children together.
In 1968, Broadwater was first elected to serve on the Glenarden Town Council, which marked the beginning of his career in politics. It was in 1970 when he won election to the Democratic Central Committee for the county. Broadwater began his career as a senator in 1974, the same year he made history by being the first black member from Prince George’s County to be elected to that chamber. At the time, the majority of the county’s population was still white. In addition to that, he was the first Black senator to be elected from a district that did not include the city of Baltimore.
Despite the fact that Broadwater had not held elected office since 1983 due to a conviction for federal food stamp fraud and that he had failed in his subsequent attempts to pursue public office, he continued to run companies in the county and was sought after for his political advise. He was a source of wisdom for scores of Black leaders, such as the late County Executive Wayne K. Curry and the former Representative Albert Wynn (D), whom he had once babysat when he was a younger man.
Over the course of many years, he provided assistance to a variety of individuals, including the Mayor of Bowie, Tim Adams, when Adams declared his candidacy for state Senate in 2017. Belinda Queen, a former member of the Prince George’s County Board of Education, was one of the people who benefited from Broadwater’s guidance. On Tuesday evening, Queen sent out a mass email with a photo of herself and Broadwater included in it. The following is an excerpt from it: “The Godfather of Prince George’s: Gone but never forgotten.”
“He would engage in political discourse with you. He advised you on the appropriate actions to take as well as the inappropriate ones. He instructed folks on the appropriate times to run and the inappropriate times to do so. He was honest with them, as the Queen pointed out. “Tommie Broadwater will be remembered with fondness. There was no one else who could have filled his shoes quite like him.”
Reflecting on his own political career, Broadwater wrote the following passage in a collection of remarks that was archived by the Society of Senates Past: “As the first black senator elected outside of Baltimore… I fought to galvanize the black and white communities toward working together in order to reach common goals and objectives for their respective communities and in politics as well.
I served as a trailblazer and pioneer, and in doing so, I carved a path of opportunity for other black hopefuls to enter the political arena as candidates in the process. In addition, I led the fight to galvanize other black hopefuls to enter the political arena as candidates. Queen claimed that while Broadwater was working as a bail bondsman, he would give guests ribs or chicken from his Ebony Inn in Fairmount Heights, which was also a bar, an exotic dancing venue, and a carryout BBQ establishment.
Broadwater served in the state senate from 1974 through 1983. During that time, he was known for bringing ribs to Senate committee meetings in order to ensure the presence of his fellow members of the Budget and Taxation committee. At ceremonies held at the Glenarden Municipal Center in May and at Bowie State University in the last month, county authorities have convened in recent weeks to commemorate Broadwater’s career.
“present were perhaps 300 people present in Glenarden to show their support for him. After that, he did well at Bowie State. They presented him with plaques and a variety of other items, according to Jacqueline Broadwater. Late on Tuesday night, several tributes were posted across various social media platforms in honor of Broadwater.
“Fairmont Heights High School bids farewell to our esteemed alum, Tommie Broadwater, a distinguished member of the Class of 1961,” Fairmount Heights graduate Mario Williams posted on Facebook. “Fairmont Heights High School bids farewell to our esteemed alum, Tommie Broadwater.” “Fairmount Heights High School expresses its deepest condolences at the passing of a remarkable person who will be remembered for all time for the contributions he made and his compassion.”
On her Facebook page, community activist and businesswoman LaTasha Ward said, “We lost a big giant…in our community today.” She was referring to a member of their community. “I give thanks to God for the privilege of being able to sit here and enjoy his company. He was devoted to his neighborhood and always looked out for its best interests.
In recent years, Broadwater continued to participate in public events, including the annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake, which took place in Somerset County, on the Eastern Shore. “I’m comfortable here,” Broadwater stated in July of 2018. “I come here to visit all of my old friends, my new acquaintances, and those who are just beginning their careers in politics. I enjoy the sense of companionship.”
