Former United States senator from Massachusetts Edward Brooke was the first African-American elected by popular vote to the U.S. Senate. He took office in 1966 and remained the sole African American elected to the Senate until 1993. Brooke served two terms and lost his third bid for re-election to Paul Tsongas largely as a result of a loss of favor with his constituency due to a vitriolic divorce.

On May 1, 2008, television personality Barbara Walters confided to talk show host Oprah Winfrey that she had been involved in a sexual affair with Brooke in the 1970s. Walters was interviewed by Winfrey about her memoir Audition, which details her public and private life. When asked by Winfrey if she was in love with Brooke, Walters replied, "I was certainly — I don’t know — I was certainly infatuated. I was certainly involved. He was exciting. He was brilliant. It was exciting times in Washington."

• 1919: Born on October 26 in Washington D.C.

• 1941: Graduated from Howard University

• 1948: Graduated from Boston University Law School

• 1962 and 1964: Elected Attorney General of Massachusetts

• 1967 and 1972: Elected to the U.S. Senate

• 1978: Lost bid for third Senate election

• 2000: Edward W. Brooke Courthouse in Boston was dedicated in his honor

• 2002: Diagnosed with breast cancer

• 2004: Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

• 2008: Affair was exposed with television journalist Barbara Walters