This is a list of minority attorneys general in the United States. In the United States, an ethnic minority is anyone who has at least one parent who is not of non-Hispanic white descent (such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islands Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, or Native Americans). Ethnic minorities currently constitute around 41% of the total population.[1]
- Italics denotes acting Attorney-General
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- Italics denotes acting Attorney-General
More information Picture, Name ...
Picture |
Name |
Ethnicity |
Party |
State |
Term start |
Term end |
Notes |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Robert_Brown_Elliott.jpg/80px-Robert_Brown_Elliott.jpg) |
Robert B. Elliott |
African American Afro-Caribbean |
Republican |
South Carolina |
December 14, 1876 |
May 29, 1877 |
Election disputed as part of 1876-77 South Carolina Government Dispute, forced out of office after the Compromise of 1877 ended Reconstruction |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg/80px-Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg.png) |
Miguel A. Otero III[3] |
Mexican American |
Republican |
New Mexico |
1929 |
1930 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg/80px-Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg.png) |
Filo M. Sedillo[4][5] |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
New Mexico |
1939 |
1940 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg/80px-Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg.png) |
Joe L. Martínez |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
New Mexico |
1949 |
1952 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Shiro Kashiwa[6] |
Japanese American |
|
Hawaii |
1959 |
1960 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Bert T. Kobayashi[7] |
Japanese American |
|
Hawaii |
1962 |
1969 |
Retired |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Edward_brooke_senator.jpg/80px-Edward_brooke_senator.jpg) |
Edward Brooke[8] |
African American |
Republican |
Massachusetts |
January 3, 1963 |
January 3, 1967 |
Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senate seat from Massachusetts |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Bertram Kanbara |
Japanese American |
|
Hawaii |
1969 |
1971 |
Resigned to accept appointment to Supreme Court of Hawaii |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
George Tai Hee Pai[9] |
Chinese American |
|
Hawaii |
1971 |
1971 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Ronald Amemiya[10] |
Japanese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
1974 |
1978 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Toney_Anaya_%28NM%29_%28cropped%29.png/80px-Toney_Anaya_%28NM%29_%28cropped%29.png) |
Toney Anaya |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
New Mexico |
January 1, 1975 |
January 1, 1979 |
Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Wayne Minami[11] |
Japanese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
1978 |
1981 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Tany S. Hong[12] |
Korean American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
1981 |
1984 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Corinne Watanabe |
Japanese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
1985 |
1986 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/LarryEchoHawkDOI.JPG/80px-LarryEchoHawkDOI.JPG) |
Larry Echo Hawk[13] |
Native American (Pawnee) |
Democratic |
Idaho |
January 7, 1991 |
January 2, 1995 |
Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor of Idaho |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Seal_of_Texas_Attorney_General.svg/80px-Seal_of_Texas_Attorney_General.svg.png) |
Dan Morales[14] |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
Texas |
January 15, 1991 |
January 13, 1999 |
Retired |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Sen_Roland_Burris.jpg/80px-Sen_Roland_Burris.jpg) |
Roland Burris[15] |
African American |
Democratic |
Illinois |
January 14, 1991 |
January 9, 1995 |
Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor of Illinois |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Pamela_Lynn_Carter_%28born_1949%29_at_World_Economic_Forum_Davos_2023.png/80px-Pamela_Lynn_Carter_%28born_1949%29_at_World_Economic_Forum_Davos_2023.png) |
Pamela Carter |
African American |
Democratic |
Indiana |
January 13, 1993 |
January 16, 1997 |
Lost reelection |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Zell_Miller_and_Thurbert_Baker_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Zell_Miller_and_Thurbert_Baker_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Thurbert Baker[16] |
African American |
Democratic |
Georgia |
June 1, 1997 |
January 10, 2011 |
Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor of Georgia |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg/80px-Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg.png) |
Patricia A. Madrid[17] |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
New Mexico |
January 1, 1999 |
January 1, 2007 |
Term limited, ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress in New Mexico's 1st district |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Kensalazar.jpg/80px-Kensalazar.jpg) |
Ken Salazar[18] |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
Colorado |
January 12, 1999 |
January 3, 2005 |
Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senate seat from Colorado |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Earl I. Anzai |
Japanese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
1999 |
2002 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Karen_Freeman-Wilson_%2812617981394%29.jpg/80px-Karen_Freeman-Wilson_%2812617981394%29.jpg) |
Karen Freeman-Wilson |
African American |
Democratic |
Indiana |
June 8, 2000 |
January 14, 2001 |
Was appointed as interim AG, lost reelection |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Brian_Sandoval_2010_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Brian_Sandoval_2010_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Brian Sandoval[19] |
Mexican American |
Republican |
Nevada |
January 6, 2003 |
October 26, 2005 |
Retired to become a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of Nevada |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Seal_of_the_Attorney_General_of_New_Jersey.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_Attorney_General_of_New_Jersey.svg.png) |
Peter C. Harvey[20] |
African American |
Democratic |
New Jersey |
June 16, 2003 |
January 30, 2006 |
Retired |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Catherine_Cortez_Masto_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Catherine_Cortez_Masto_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Catherine Cortez Masto[21] |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
Nevada |
January 1, 2007 |
January 5, 2015 |
Term limited; ran successfully for U.S. Senate seat from Nevada |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Kamala_Harris_Official_Attorney_General_Photo_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Kamala_Harris_Official_Attorney_General_Photo_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Kamala Harris[22] |
African American Indian American Jamaican American |
Democratic |
California |
January 3, 2011 |
January 3, 2017 |
Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senate from California |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/David_M._Louie.jpg/80px-David_M._Louie.jpg) |
David M. Louie[23] |
Chinese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
January 2011 |
December 1, 2014 |
Retired |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Sean_Reyes_%285893896909%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Sean_Reyes_%285893896909%29_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Sean Reyes |
Filipino American Native Hawaiian Japanese American |
Republican |
Utah |
December 14, 2013 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Russell Suzuki |
Japanese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
December 1, 2014 |
March 12, 2015 |
Acting |
February 2, 2018 |
January 3, 2019 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Hector_Balderas_Photo.jpg/80px-Hector_Balderas_Photo.jpg) |
Hector Balderas[24] |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
New Mexico |
January 1, 2015 |
January 1, 2023 |
Term limited |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Karl_Racine_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Karl_Racine_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Karl Racine[25] |
African American Haitian American |
Democratic |
District of Columbia |
January 2, 2015 |
January 2, 2023 |
Retired |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Lt_Gov_Doug_Chin.jpg/80px-Lt_Gov_Doug_Chin.jpg) |
Doug Chin[26] |
Chinese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
March 12, 2015 |
February 2, 2018 |
Ascended to Lieutenant Governor's office |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Curtis_Hill_DOJ_panel_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Curtis_Hill_DOJ_panel_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Curtis Hill[27] |
African American |
Republican |
Indiana |
January 9, 2017 |
January 11, 2021 |
Lost renomination |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/HHS_Xavier_Becerra_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-HHS_Xavier_Becerra_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Xavier Becerra[28] |
Mexican American |
Democratic |
California |
January 24, 2017 |
March 18, 2021 |
Retired to become U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Gurbir-S-Grewal_Official.jpg/80px-Gurbir-S-Grewal_Official.jpg) |
Gurbir Grewal[29] |
Indian American |
Democratic |
New Jersey |
January 16, 2018 |
July 19, 2021 |
Retired to become Enforcement Director at the Securities & Exchange Commission |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Letitia_James_2013_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Letitia_James_2013_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Letitia James[30] |
African American |
Democratic |
New York |
January 1, 2019 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Kwame_Raoul_RFCG.jpg/80px-Kwame_Raoul_RFCG.jpg) |
Kwame Raoul[31] |
African American Haitian American |
Democratic |
Illinois |
January 14, 2019 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Aaron_D._Ford.jpg/80px-Aaron_D._Ford.jpg) |
Aaron Ford[32] |
African American |
Democratic |
Nevada |
January 7, 2019 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Keith_Ellison_portrait.jpg/80px-Keith_Ellison_portrait.jpg) |
Keith Ellison[33] |
African American |
Democratic |
Minnesota |
January 7, 2019 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/William_Tong_Stamford_Connecticut_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-William_Tong_Stamford_Connecticut_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
William Tong[34] |
Chinese American Taiwanese American |
Democratic |
Connecticut |
January 9, 2019 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Attorney_General_Daniel_Cameron_-_Official_Portrait_%28cropped2%29.jpg/80px-Attorney_General_Daniel_Cameron_-_Official_Portrait_%28cropped2%29.jpg) |
Daniel Cameron[35][36][37][38][39] |
African American |
Republican |
Kentucky |
December 17, 2019 |
January 1, 2024 |
Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor of Kentucky |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/AG_Rob_Bonta_official_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-AG_Rob_Bonta_official_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Rob Bonta[40] |
Filipino American |
Democratic |
California |
April 23, 2021 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_State_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Holly Shikada |
Japanese American |
Democratic |
Hawaii |
December 10, 2021 |
December 5, 2022 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Jason_Miyares_in_November_2021.jpg/80px-Jason_Miyares_in_November_2021.jpg) |
Jason Miyares[41] |
Cuban American |
Republican |
Virginia |
January 15, 2022 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg/80px-Seal_of_New_Mexico.svg.png) |
Raúl Torrez |
Hispanic American |
Democratic |
New Mexico |
January 1, 2023 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Raul_Labrador_115th_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Raul_Labrador_115th_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Raúl Labrador |
Puerto Rican |
Republican |
Idaho |
January 2, 2023 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Anthony_G._Brown_2022.jpg/80px-Anthony_G._Brown_2022.jpg) |
Anthony Brown[42] |
African American Jamaican American |
Democratic |
Maryland |
January 3, 2023 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/AJC_Headshot_%283x4%29.jpg/80px-AJC_Headshot_%283x4%29.jpg) |
Andrea Campbell |
African American |
Democratic |
Massachusetts |
January 18, 2023 |
Incumbent |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Seal_of_Texas_Attorney_General.svg/80px-Seal_of_Texas_Attorney_General.svg.png) |
Angela Colmenero[43] |
Hispanic American |
Republican |
Texas |
July 10, 2023 |
September 16, 2023 |
Interim AG during Ken Paxton's impeachment trial |
Close
Territorial attorneys general
Several attorneys general of U.S. territories have been ethnic minorities. Many of these officials were appointed before elections were instituted in these jurisdictions. In each of the five current U.S. territories, Hispanic or non-white ethnic groups make up large majorities: Puerto Rican Hispanic Americans in Puerto Rico, African Americans in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Chamorros in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and Samoans in American Samoa. Elected attorneys general and some appointed attorneys general in these territories that have come from these majority ethnic groups are not listed here; for more details see the lists in the articles for Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico, Attorney General of the United States Virgin Islands, Attorney General of Guam, Attorney General of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Attorney General of American Samoa.
- Italics denotes acting Attorney-General
More information Picture, Name ...
Picture |
Name |
Ethnicity |
Party |
State |
Term start |
Term end |
Notes |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Seal_of_the_Territory_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_Territory_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Michiro Watanabe[44] |
Japanese American |
|
Territory of Hawaii |
March 1, 1952 |
March 2, 1953 |
Retired |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Seal_of_the_Territory_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_Territory_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Shiro Kashiwa |
Japanese American |
|
Territory of Hawaii |
May 8, 1957 |
June 8, 1957 |
Would again serve as AG after Hawaii attained statehood |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Herbert_Choy.jpg/80px-Herbert_Choy.jpg) |
Herbert Choy |
Korean American |
|
Territory of Hawaii |
June 13, 1957 |
November 30, 1958 |
|
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Seal_of_the_Territory_of_Hawaii.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_Territory_of_Hawaii.svg.png) |
Jack H. Mizuha |
Japanese American |
Republican |
Territory of Hawaii |
December 16, 1958 |
1959 |
Resigned to accept appointment to the Circuit Court |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Seal_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Puerto_Rico.svg/80px-Seal_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Puerto_Rico.svg.png) |
Luis Sánchez Betances |
Dominican American |
|
Puerto Rico |
January 2, 2013 |
December 28, 2013 |
Resigned |
![Thumb](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Douglas_B._Moylan_%28cropped%29.jpg/80px-Douglas_B._Moylan_%28cropped%29.jpg) |
Douglas Moylan |
Native Hawaiian Chinese American |
Republican |
Guam |
January 6, 2003 |
January 3, 2007 |
Retired |
January 18, 2023 |
Incumbent |
|
Close
Anderson, Dick (February 5, 2022). "Best Desk Job Ever". Occidental College. Retrieved March 11, 2024.