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Roland Burris
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At the center of a storm
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At the center of a storm
At the center of a storm Roland Burris, shown in 2009, became the U.S. senator from Illinois after a scandal engulfed the appointment of the successor to Barack Obama.

Roland Burris

American politician
Also known as: Roland Wallace Burris
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Michael Ray
Michael Ray is an assistant managing editor who has worked at Britannica since 2003. In addition to leading the Geography and History team, he oversees coverage of European history and military affairs....
Michael Ray
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

Roland Burris (born Aug. 3, 1937, Centralia, Ill., U.S.) is an American Democratic politician who was the first African American elected to statewide office in Illinois. His appointment as U.S. senator (2009–10) to fill the seat vacated by Pres. Barack Obama made him the fourth African American to serve in the Senate since Reconstruction. His appointment, however, was not without controversy. Burris grew up in downstate Illinois, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in political...

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