Skip to Main Content

Report adult or child abuse or neglect at 1-800-91Prevent (1-800-917-7383)


Senator Delores Kelley

Senator Delores Kelley is widely recognized as a trailblazer and mentor. Colleagues have described her as a “history maker … someone who every single day fought for justice for all.” During her nearly three decades as an elected official, Senator Kelley broke racial and gender barriers and consistently fought for Maryland women.

Delores Goodwin Kelley was born on May 1, 1936, in Norfolk, Virginia. She earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Virginia State College (1956), an M.A. in Education from New York University (1958), an M.A. in Speech Communication from Purdue University (1972), and a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park (1977).
Before entering public office, Senator Kelley devoted over three decades to higher education at Coppin State University in Baltimore. She served as faculty and later as Dean, mentoring students, developing academic programs, and promoting institutional equity.

Senator Kelley began her elected public service in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 42 in Baltimore from 1991 to 1995. After redistricting, she became the first African American elected from Baltimore County. In 1994, she successfully ran for the Maryland State Senate in District 10, where she served from 1995 to 2023.
Kelley was the first woman to Chair the powerful Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care, insurance, public utilities, banking and labor policies. From this position she became an innovative leader on health care access, health equity, long term care and women’s health. She also served as Vice Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, and President of Women Legislators of Maryland. She also Chaired the Health Committee of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus. Throughout her career in public service, Kelley served on more than 60 Boards, Commissions and Task Forces on issues ranging from criminal sentencing to adoption to nursing home quality.

Dr. Kelley sponsored nearly 200 pieces of legislation during her career in the General Assembly and was a champion of the Maryland Commission for Women, and women’s rights organizations. In 2016, Senator Kelley sponsored the Contraceptive Equity Act, a first-in-the-nation law expanding contraceptive access for Marylanders. Senator Kelley also sponsored Maryland’s landmark 2022 Abortion Care Access Act. She also championed legislation supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence, incarcerated women, and other communities marginalized by the political system.

Beyond her legislative and academic careers, Senator Kelley has engaged extensively in civic leadership. She was a founding director of the Harbor Bank of Maryland, served on the boards of the Baltimore Urban League, the Institute for Christian-Jewish Studies, the Black-Jewish Forum of Baltimore, and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Kelley resides in Baltimore County, where she and her husband raised three children.