Retired state representative Helen Miller shares the events of her life in the context of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, during the times when Blacks were finding and projecting their voices onto the tapestry that was and is America.  

Although Helen’s parents were part of the Great Migration of Black families to the North to escape racism and poverty, they did not have access to public or private pools or beaches. She considered that her parents’ and her inability to swim was related to something bigger: the history of Black Americans.

Helen Miller’s story reflects her life’s journey against the backdrop of that history and the Civil Rights Movement. Despite the prevalence of racism in the United States, the love and support she received growing up instilled in her a vision of possibilities. Helen accomplished much in her lifetime, including the achievement of three degrees, practicing law, and serving sixteen years in the Iowa House of Representatives.

Helen’s story describes not only what she’s lived through and witnessed, but what she sees for the future: hope. As she tells her grandchildren, “Do your best because things have changed. You, too, can become president of the United States or anything else you want to be.”

Helen Miller is a retired lawyer and state legislator. She was born in Newark, New Jersey, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University, a master’s degree from Our Lady of the Lake University, and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center.

She served as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives for sixteen years and was the first minority to serve on the House Agriculture Committee. Additionally, Miller chaired the Iowa Board of Parole from July 2019 to July 2021.