Cardiss Hortense Collins ( ; September 24 , 1931 – February 3 , 2013 ) was an American politician from Illinois who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1997 . A member of the Democratic Party , she was the fourth African-American woman in Congress and the first to represent the Midwest . Collins was elected to Congress in the June 5 , 1973 special election to replace her husband , George , who had died in the December 8 , 1972 United Airlines Flight 553 plane crash . The seat had been renumbered from the 6th district to the 7th when she took the seat . She had previously worked as an accountant in various state government positions
United Airlines Flight 553
United Airlines Flight 553
Cardiss Collins