Acres Home native Sylvester Turner went from labor to reward on Wednesday, March 5th, 2025, he was 70 years old. He diligently served the Houston com- munity in various capacities for over 40 years. His impact last not only in politics but in the lives of ev- eryone he served, he was more than a politician but a light of hope, a problem solver, and a voice for the people. He led Houston through historic Hurricane Harvey and a global pandemic, he fiercely advocated for underserved communities and became the driving force for impactful economic development initiatives. He will always be remembered as one of Houston’s most transformative leaders.
Turner was born on September 27th, 1954, in Houston, TX to Eddie and Ruby Mae Turner; he was the sixth of nine children. He graduated from Klein High School in Klein ISD, at the time it was an all-white school and Turner was bussed there due to desegregation efforts, he graduated as valedictorian and went on to attend college at The University of Houston (UH). He graduated from UH magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1976.
He then went on to attend Harvard Law School where he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 1980. After completing law school, Turner returned to Houston and worked at Fulbright and Jaworski law firm. Three years later in 1983 he founded his own law firm, Barnes and Turner he specialized in corporate and commercial law as well as working as an immigration lawyer. He also served the community by teaching at three law schools in Houston. He was an adjunct professor at Texas Southern University: Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a seminar lecturer at South Texas College of Law and the University of Houston Law School’s Continuing Legal Education Programs.
A year after starting his law firm, Turner began his political pursuits he ran for Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 1 in the Democratic primary but fell short against EL Franco Lee. In 1988, he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in House District 139 which services parts of northwestern Houston in Harris County, he remained in this position until 2014. He ran for Mayor a few times in Houston before he was successful. Initially running in 1991, he lost the runoff election to Bob Lanier who was mayor of Houston from 1992 to 1998. He lost again in 2003, coming in third place which disqualified him from the runoff election.
Turner served 26 years in the Texas House of Representatives, during his tenure he served as a member of the Legislative Budget Board, Vice-Chair- man of the House Appropriations Committee, Chairman of the Subcommittee of Articles 1, 4 & 5 (General Government, Judiciary, Public Safety & Criminal Justice) and the House State Affairs Committee. He also chaired the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Greater Houston Area Legislative Delegation. In 2015, Turn- er won the runoff election defeating Bill King by over 4,000 votes. In 2019, he won his second term as mayor over Tony Buzbee. In 2024, after the death of former Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Turner was elected in November 2024 to fill her congressional seat and took office in January 2025 he served 60 days in congress before his death.
Turner’s political career was defined by his commitment to progressive policies and community focused leadership. He wanted stricter laws regarding rideshare services (Uber & Lyft), In 2016, Texas led the country in drunk driving fatalities. He was also supporter of LBTQAI+ rights and initiatives, stating that over the years his views had “evolved” surrounding LBTQAI+. He was also a longtime supporter of abortion rights. He was a vocal supporter of public education advocating for increased funding and initiatives to improve access for underserved communities. He opposed policies targeting undocumented residents and worked to make Houston a more inclusive city. He focused on expanding access to healthcare for low-income communities and promoting public health initiatives. He also prioritized reducing incarceration rates for nonviolent offenses. One of his most significant efforts was addressing homelessness through a housing-first approach, expanding resources for mental health services, and creating initiatives to provide long term solutions for those in need.
In November 2022, Turner disclosed that he had been diagnosed with bone cancer, for which he had surgery and received 6 weeks of radiation treatment. He is the only member of the 119th Congress to die in office and the second representative for Texas’s 18th district to die in a one-year period,
after Sheila Jackson Lee. Houston’s mayor John Whitmire announced the death of Turner saying he was “A re- markable public servant who impacted millions of people. He rose from poverty but never forgot where he came from.
It is a terrible loss for the city and a personal loss for me. I ask Houstonians to celebrate his life.” Whitmire ordered flags in the city to fly at half-staff in Turner’s memory. Texas governor Greg Abbott ordered flags across the state of Texas to fly at half-staff for Turner until sunrise on March 8, 2025.
Sylvester Turner’s life and legacy are a testament to resilience, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to public service. His diligence made the city of Houston and its people all the better. Beyond politics, Turner’s impact was felt in the lives he touched, through mentorship, advocacy, and his relent- less pursuit of progress. He led with intentionality and compassion always committing himself and his work to progress. As Houston moves forward, Turner’s influence will continue to be felt in the policies he shaped, the lives he touched, and the spirit of leader- ship he embodied. His vision for a stronger, more inclusive city lives on, reminding everyone that true leader- ship is measured not just in words, but in lasting change.
