Groups

Details: Category: Groups

As of January 20, 2021, there have been 1,994 members of the United States Senate, of which 11 have been African American.

Joseph Rainey, who became the first African American Representative in December 1870, navigated a unique path from slave to citizen to Representative. An ardent defender of Black civil and political rights, Rainey directly challenged the calcified traditions of American politics and society. He served South Carolina's 1st congressional district beginning in 1870 during the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.

The first African American woman to serve as a representative was Shirley Chisholm from New York's 12th congressional district in 1969 during the Civil Rights Movement.