Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. (born January 21, 1951) served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States, from 2009 to 2015. Holder, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama, is the first African American to hold the position of U.S. Attorney General.
| 82nd United States Attorney General | |
|---|---|
| In office February 3, 2009 – April 27, 2015 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | David Ogden James Cole Sally Yates (Acting) |
| Preceded by | Michael Mukasey |
| Succeeded by | Loretta Lynch |
| United States Deputy Attorney General | |
| In office June 13, 1997 – January 20, 2001 |
|
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Jamie Gorelick |
| Succeeded by | Larry Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. January 21, 1951 (age 64) The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Sharon Malone |
| Children | Maya Brooke Eric |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Religion | Episcopalianism |
Eric Holder On December 1, 2008, Obama announced that Holder would be his nominee for Attorney General of the United States. Obama praised his "toughness and independence." Obama went on to say that "[Holder] is deeply familiar with the law enforcement challenges we face: from terrorism to counter-intelligence; from white-collar crime to public corruption." Holder emphasized national security as a priority if confirmed, "We can and we must ensure that the American people remain secure and that the great Constitutional guarantees that define us as a nation are truly valued."
He was formally nominated on January 20, 2009 and was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 28 with a bipartisan vote of 17 to 2. He was officially confirmed by the entire Senate on February 2, 2009 by a vote of 75 to 21. becoming the nation's first African-American Attorney General. His installation took place on March 27, 2009 at the Lisner Auditorium of George Washington University. As of his indication to step down on September 25, 2014, Holder had the fourth longest tenure of any Attorney General in U.S. history.
