‘My voice may shake but I'm going to speak’: Cory Booker's parents denied flats due to skin colour while working at IBM

In an extraordinary display of perseverance, New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker delivered a marathon speech on the Senate floor that stretched overnight and into Tuesday, setting a historic record to underscore Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump’s sweeping initiatives.

Booker began his speech on Monday evening, pledging to stay on the floor as long as he was “physically able.”

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After 25 hours and 5 minutes, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, concluded his speech and limped off the floor, marking the longest continuous Senate floor speech in US history, as reported by the Associated Press.

Booker said he was ultimately calling on all Americans to respond not just with resistance to Trump’s actions but with kindness and generosity for those in their communities.

He said, “I may be afraid — my voice may shake — but I’m going to speak up more.”

Cory Booker's parents faced racial barriers in housing while working at IBM

Born in Washington, D.C., Cory Booker grew up in the affluent town of Harrington Park, New Jersey, located just 20 miles north of Newark. His parents, Cary Alfred and Carolyn Rose (née Jordan) Booker, were trailblazers as some of the first Black executives at IBM.

Cory Booker's parents, Carolyn and Cary Alfred Booker, faced racial discrimination firsthand when they were denied the opportunity to purchase a home in suburban New Jersey, despite both working at IBM.

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In a 2020 Essence post, Carolyn Booker shared, “After I began work at IBM, and right after Cory was born, my late husband Cary and I tried to move to suburban New Jersey to make sure our children would have access to great schools. But we were blocked by real estate agents who refused to sell us a home because of the color of our skin. We refused to give up.”

In a 2009 interview with US News, Booker shared that he was raised in a religious household and attended a small African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Jersey with his family.

Speaking about his mother, Cory Booker wrote on X, “60 years ago, a young woman, just out of college, knew injustice and chose to take action. She worked with activists to organize others, to bring them to the March on Washington, to hear King’s dream. That woman was my mother, Carolyn Booker. Not only do I have immense pride in my mother’s work to this day as an activist, advocate, and pioneer, but I continue to learn the lessons that so many showed us through the Civil Rights movement - when you work together and fight together you can rise together.”

Education

He graduated from Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan and was honored as a member of the USA Today All-USA high school football team in 1986.

Booker then attended Stanford University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1991, followed by a Master of Arts in sociology the next year. During his time at Stanford, he played varsity football, made the All–Pacific Ten Academic team, and served as the senior class president. He also led The Bridge, a student-run crisis hotline, and organized student volunteer efforts to support youth in East Palo Alto.

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Currently, Booker is serving his second term in the Senate. Booker previously ran for president in 2020, launching his campaign from the steps of his Newark home. However, he withdrew after facing challenges in a crowded field, failing to meet the criteria for participation in the January 2020 debate.

As the Democratic Party seeks fresh leadership, with growing discontent toward established figures, Booker’s historic Senate floor speech could solidify his role as a prominent leader in the party’s next generation.

(With inputs from Associated Press)