Former U.S. Senator and Populist Leader Fred Harris Dies at 94

Fred Harris, a progressive voice from Oklahoma and 1976 presidential candidate, leaves a legacy of civil rights advocacy and Democratic Party reform.

Fred Harris, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, passed away on Saturday at the age of 94 due to natural causes, as confirmed by his wife, Margaret Elliston.
Harris served eight years in the U.S. Senate and was a prominent advocate for civil rights, anti-poverty programs, and reforms to make the Democratic Party more inclusive and representative.
As a member of the Kerner Commission, Harris co-authored a landmark 1968 report warning of racial and economic divides in the U.S., later noting its grim predictions had come true.
He chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970, implementing changes that increased diversity among delegates and leaders in the party's conventions.
After leaving politics, Harris became a political science professor in New Mexico and authored numerous books, including works on politics and a mystery novel set in Depression-era Oklahoma.