Karen Clark, the first openly lesbian member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and one of the state’s most influential advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, has died after a brief illness. She was 80.
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Clark served nearly four decades in the Minnesota House, representing Minneapolis from 1981 until her retirement in 2019. She became the first openly lesbian person elected to the Minnesota Legislature after winning office in 1980. During her tenure, she built a reputation as a leading voice on civil rights, health care, affordable housing, labor protections, and environmental justice.
Clark played a central role in advancing LGBTQ+ equality in Minnesota. She helped secure passage of amendments to the Minnesota Human Rights Act that prohibited discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in employment, housing, education, and other areas. In 2013, she served as the House chief author of the bill that legalized same-sex marriage in Minnesota, one of the defining legislative achievements of her career.
Karen Clark Had A Champion Political Career
Born in Oklahoma in 1945, Clark grew up in Minnesota and earned a nursing degree. She then completed a master’s degree in public administration at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She worked as a nurse practitioner at the Hennepin County Health Department before entering politics.
Beyond LGBTQ+ advocacy, Clark championed environmental and public health initiatives. She later co-founded the Women’s Environmental Institute and remained active in environmental justice efforts after leaving office.
Tributes from political leaders followed news of her death. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz described Clark as “one of the champions of Minnesota’s marriage equality law and a true legend in the House of Representatives.”
The Minnesota House DFL Caucus said Clark devoted her life to building “a more just Minnesota where everyone could live with dignity, safety, and opportunity.” The caucus also recognized her as the longest-serving openly lesbian state lawmaker in the United States.
Clark is survived by her wife, Jacquelyn Zita, with whom she shared 35 years and was married for 11 years. Her family has requested privacy. Memorial service details have not yet been announced.