Adam Benjamin Jr.  Adam Benjamin Jr. (August 6, 1935 – September 7, 1982) was an American politician and a United States Representative from Indiana's 1st congressional district, serving from 1977 until his death from a heart attack in Washington, D.C. in 1982. Benjamin was the first Assyrian-American to be elected to the United States House of Representatives in American history. Benjamin served in the Indiana Senate from 1971 to 1977, the Indiana House of Representatives from 1967 to 1971, and was a member of the Democratic Party. Born to an Assyrian father, Adam Benjamin and mother, Margaret Marjanian, in Gary, Indiana, on August 6, 1935, Adam Benjamin Jr. graduated from Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri, in 1952. Benjamin joined the Marine Corps in 1952, and served as a Corporal in the Korean War until he was honorably discharged in 1954. After serving in the Marine Corps, he gained an appointment to the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, earning a B.S. degree in engineering in 1958. Following three years in the 101st airborne division the "Screaming Eagles", and ranger training in the U.S. Army, in 1961 Benjamin left the Army as a First lieutenant. After his service in the Military, Benjamin returned to Gary in 1961 and began teaching math and physics at Edison High School. Two years later, he entered public service as Gary's zoning administrator from 1963 to 1965, and gained further experience in local government acting as Gary Mayor A. Martin Katz's executive secretary from 1965 through 1966. During his work in public service, Benjamin worked on his law degree from Valparaiso University, he graduated with his Juris Doctor and was admitted to the Indiana Bar Association in 1966. Shortly after Benjamin was admitted to the Indiana Bar, he ran for a seat in the Indiana House of Representatives, winning two consecutive terms in 1966, and in 1968. Benjamin served in the Indiana House until he won a seat in the Indiana Senate in 1970, winning reelection in 1974, and served in the Indiana Senate from 1971 to 1977. During his time in the Indiana Senate, Benjamin was named Outstanding State Senator by newsmen assigned to report on the Indiana General Assembly. As a state legislator, Mr. Benjamin developed a new code of ethics for legislators, worked on a new state medical malpractice act, and facilitated court reform for the Lake County Superior Court system. Two years after Benjamin won a seat in the Indiana Senate, he challenged incumbent 12-term Congressman Ray J. Madden for the Democratic nomination for Indiana's 1st congressional district, but eventually lost the hotly contested primary.