Laurence Allen Elder is an American author, conservative talk radio host, and attorney who
hosts The Larry Elder Show. The show airs nationally on the Salem Radio Network and is syndicated by
Westwood One. Elder is also a columnist for the Chicago Tribune and former editor of Maclean’s
magazine. He has written two New York Times bestsellers, The Ten Commandments: Still the Best
Moral Code (with co-author Arthur C. Brooks) and The Seven Deadly Sins: How Today’s Popular Culture
is Harming Our Brains, Our Hearts, and Our Children (with co-author Gregory Jantz).
Elder was the first African American to be elected to the Colorado State Senate, as well as a U.S. Senator
from Utah, Governor of New York and a U.S. District Court Judge for the city of the Utah. He was also the
first African American elected to Congress in his own right and was the first person elected to both
houses of Congress from Utah, serving in the House of Representatives for 24 years (1905-1917) and in
the Senate for 14 years (1917-1933). During his life, Elder became known as “The Great Black Hope.” He
was a self-educated man who had earned a living by working as a bricklayer before becoming an
educator and politician.
Early Life
Laurence Allen Elder was born on December 23, 1859 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to a family of free blacks.
He was the youngest of six children, and his father was William Elder, a bricklayer and carpenter. His
parents were part of the “Mormon” (LDS) Church. In 1874 Elder moved with his family to Gunnison
County, Colorado, where he worked as a bricklayer before attending the University of Colorado at
Boulder in the late 1880s. In 1895, he earned his law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C.
In 1884 Elder married Mary Day Harrison; they had three children together: Laurence Jr., Mary Louise
and Robert Laurence Elder. Mary died in April 1899. In 1904 Elder married Mary Edwards, the widow of
a Denver attorney. They had two children: Mary Alice (1905) and Robert Laurence Jr. (1907). Elder’s
second marriage ended in divorce in 1923.
Career
Laurence Allen, Elder, was a member of the LDS Church and served as one of its bishops and a stake
president in Colorado. He also served as a member of the Democratic National Committee, and was an
alternate delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1912, 1920 and 1924. In 1913, he was
elected to represent Colorado on the national committee for the NAACP, serving until 1917 when he
became chair of that organization’s House committee on education. He was also active with other
groups such as the American Legion and the American Federation of Labour.
Elder was elected to the Colorado State Senate in 1902 and served there until 1904, when he resigned
to run for Congress. He won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, serviced from March 4, 1905
through March 4, 1917. He was re-elected to the house in 1918 and then served in the Senate from
January 3, 1919 through January 3, 1933. Larry Elder Net Worth is $10 Million.
Elder was appointed to the United States District Court for Utah by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on
June 29, 1933 and remained on that court until his death on October 1, 1953 in Salt Lake City at age 74.
What race has to do with it, elder?
In “What’s Race Got to Do with It?,” “bestselling author Larry Elder takes a controversial look at race in
America and the ever-changing meaning of the word “race.”
What’s Race Got to Do with It? Is Larry Elder’s frank discussion of race, class and other divisive issues in
America today? Elder examines the history of civil rights movements, discusses issues of prejudice and
discrimination, and takes a look at how race is perceived by African Americans and others in modern
society.
This book is ideally suited for public library collections due to its educational value. As an easy read, it can
be used as a springboard for discussions on issues of racism in our society today.
Laurence Allen, Elder Family
Laurence Allen Elder married his wife Mary Ann in 2004. They have two children. Laurence Allen Elder is
an American author, conservative talk radio host, and attorney who hosts The Larry Elder
Show. The show airs nationally on the Salem Radio Network and is syndicated by Westwood One. Elder
is also a columnist for the Chicago Tribune and former editor of Maclean’s magazine.
The Larry Elder Show
Elder hosts a national radio talk show broadcast on over 100 stations nationwide. The Larry Elder Show
is broadcast live from a studio in Chicago and is taped in front of a studio audience. The show airs
nationally on the Salem Radio Network and is syndicated by Westwood One. Elder is also a columnist for
the Chicago Tribune and former editor of Maclean’s magazine. He has been written two New York Times best-
Sellers, The Ten Commandments: Still the Best Moral Code (with co-author Arthur C. Brooks). How Today’s Popular Culture is Harming Our Brains, Our Hearts, and Our Children
(with co-author Gregory Jantz).