Bonnie Watson Coleman
DemocratU.S. Representative, NJ-12| Age | 81 (b. 1945-02-06) |
| Gender | Female |
| In office since | 2015-01-06 (~11 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | Black/African American |
| Religion | Baptist (Christian) |
| Education | Attended Rutgers University-Camden (no degree); earned a B.A. from Thomas Edison State University (1985); holds honorary doctorates from The College of New Jersey, Rider University, and Stockton University |
| Prior occupation | Career New Jersey state government administrator (civil rights, contract compliance, and community affairs official) for over two decades; co-founded a human resources development firm with her father |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Camden, New Jersey |
| Marital status | Married — William Coleman |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Ewing Township, New Jersey |
| Notable relatives | Father John S. Watson served six terms in the New Jersey General Assembly |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 1997 |
| Previous offices | New Jersey General Assembly, 15th legislative district (1998-2015) · Majority Leader, New Jersey General Assembly (2006-2010) · Chair, New Jersey Democratic State Committee (2002-2006) |
| Committees | House Committee on Appropriations · Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies · Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies |
| Caucuses | Congressional Progressive Caucus · Congressional Black Caucus · Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls (co-founder, co-chair) · Black Maternal Health Caucus · Medicare for All Caucus · Congressional Equality Caucus · Blue Collar Caucus |
| Leadership | Majority Leader, New Jersey General Assembly (2006-2010) · Chair, New Jersey Democratic State Committee (2002-2006) · Co-founder and Co-chair, Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls |
| Ideology | Described as progressive; member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus |
| Signature legislation | CROWN Act (prohibiting race-based hair discrimination) · Healthy MOM Act (maternal health coverage) · Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act · End For-Profit Prisons Act · Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed + (2018) · estimate
| Prudential Employee Deferred Compensation Plan | other · 2018 |
Top donors: Winning Strategies Washington ($23,999 (2024 cycle)) · Princeton University ($14,500)
Top industries: Pharmaceuticals/Health Products · Education
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — Arrest at Supreme Court abortion-rights protest (2022)
On July 19, 2022, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman was one of 17 members of Congress arrested by U.S. Capitol Police while protesting outside the U.S. Supreme Court against the Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. The arrests were a deliberate act of civil disobedience for blocking a street; she was charged with the minor D.C. municipal offense of 'crowding, obstructing or incommoding,' processed, and released within about an hour. This was a non-violent protest citation, not a felony or ethics matter.