Julia Carson - Illness and Death

Illness and Death

On September 29, 2007, the Indianapolis Star reported that Carson had been an in-patient at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for the preceding eight days. She was being treated for an infection in her leg near the area where a vein was removed in 1996 during double bypass heart surgery. Before her hospitalization was revealed, Carson missed 42 of 77 votes during the month. Year-to-date, Carson had participated in 87 percent of the House votes.

On November 25, 2007, the Star reported that Carson had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. During her treatment for the leg infection, the cancer was discovered by Carson's doctors. Carson had battled it before, but it had gone into remission. In a statement, Carson said she was ready to return to Washington before "the second shoe fell — heavily."

According to her friend, former U.S. Representative Andy Jacobs, D-Ind., Carson died at about 9:15 AM on December 15, 2007.

On December 21, 2007 Julia Carson's casket was taken to the Indiana Statehouse in downtown Indianapolis by horse-drawn military caisson. Carson became the ninth Hoosier to lie in repose at the Statehouse Rotunda. An early-morning service was held in the statehouse where Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and Carson's grandson, City-County Councilman André Carson, gave remarks . Thousands of Hoosiers paid last respects to Carson by visiting the casket and attending an evening ceremony held in the Statehouse, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson (D), former U.S. Representative Andrew Jacobs, Jr., D-Ind., U.S. Representative Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., U.S. Representative Baron Hill, D-Ind., U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Tex., U.S. Representative Diane Watson, D-Calif., and former Gary, Indiana mayor Richard Hatcher. Rudy Clay, mayor of Gary at the time, presented a key to the city to the Carson family.

The funeral for Julia Carson, held on December 22, 2007 at Eastern Star Baptist Church in Indianapolis, brought thousands of citizens together to pay last respects. Those who spoke at the funeral included Governor Daniels (R), U.S. Senator Richard Lugar, R-Ind., U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, D-Ind., former U.S. Senator Birch Bayh, D-Ind., U.S. Representative Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, Indianapolis Mayor Peterson, radio host and Hoosier native Tavis Smiley, and the Rev. Louis Farrakhan. The funeral services aired on live television in central Indiana. Carson was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. The graveside ceremony included a three-volley salute.

A special election was held on March 11, 2008 to determine Carson's replacement, and her grandson André Carson won the election, defeating his Republican opponent, State Representative Jon Elrod and Libertarian opponent Sean Shepard.

Andre Carson also won the May 2008 Democratic Primary for Congress against six opponents. Andre Carson won the endorsement of U.S. Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., for the primary victory.