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List of African-American United States representatives

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List of African-American United States representatives
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The United States House of Representatives has had 188 elected African-American members, of whom 182 have been representatives from U.S. states and six have been delegates from U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.[1] The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, which is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States.

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Joseph Rainey (left) was the first African American to serve in the U.S. House; Shirley Chisholm (right) was the first African-American woman elected to the chamber.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the term "African American" includes all individuals who identify with one or more nationalities or ethnic groups originating in any of the black racial groups of Africa.[2] The term is generally used for Americans with at least partial ancestry in any of the original peoples of sub-Saharan Africa. During the founding of the federal government, African Americans were consigned to a status of second-class citizenship or enslaved.[3] No African American served in federal elective office before the ratification in 1870 of the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Fifteenth Amendment prohibits the federal and state governments from denying any citizen the right to vote because of that citizen's race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Joseph Rainey was the first African-American representative to be seated in the U.S. House. 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.

Many African-American members of the House of Representatives serve majority-minority districts.[4] Some of these congressional districts are gerrymandered, limiting serious challenges to their re-election, and limiting their abilities to represent a larger, more diverse constituency.[4] The Voting Rights Act of 1965 includes restrictions on the ability of States to diminish minority representation during redistricting. In the elections of 2016 and 2018, an increasing number of non-majority-minority districts have elected racial minority representatives.

Overall, 32 of the 50 U.S. states, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, have elected an African American to represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives, with Oregon being the most recent to elect its first, in 2024. Out of these, 24 states, plus U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia, have elected an African-American woman to represent them in the U.S. House. Illinois's 1st congressional district has the longest continuous streak of electing African-American representatives, a tendency that has occurred from 1928 to the present. There currently are 60 African-American representatives and two African-American delegates in the United States House of Representatives, representing 29 states, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. Most are members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

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List of states represented by African Americans

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Reconstruction and early post-Reconstruction era, 1870–1887

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Political party

  Republican

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Late post-Reconstruction, Populist, and early Jim Crow era, 1887–1929

Political party

  Republican

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Late Jim Crow and Civil Rights era, 1929–1970

Political parties

  Democratic   Republican

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Modern era, 1971–present

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Representatives

Political parties

  Democratic   Republican

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House delegates (non-voting members)

Political parties

  Democratic   Republican   Independent

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African Americans elected to the House of Representatives, but not seated

Political party

  Republican

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See also

Federal government

State and local government

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Notes

  1. Representatives are organized first in chronological order according to their first term in office, then second in alphabetical order according to their surname.
  2. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Benjamin Whittemore. First African American to serve in the United States House of Representatives and the first to serve in Congress from South Carolina.
  3. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the House of Representatives denial to seat Samuel F. Gove. First African American to serve in Congress from Georgia.
  4. The seat remained vacant until March 1873.
  5. Elected in November 1874 to the South Carolina House of Representatives.
  6. First African American to serve in Congress from Alabama.
  7. First African American to serve in Congress from Florida.
  8. Seated in Congress after contested election that involved James Chalmers in 1882.[15] First African American to serve in the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi. Youngest member of the 43rd United States Congress at age 26.
  9. Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina (1870-1872)
  10. First African American to serve in Congress from North Carolina.
  11. First African American to serve in Congress from Louisiana.
  12. Seated in Congress after contested election that involved George Tillman in 1882.[22] Elected in 1884 to fill vacancy caused by death of Edmund Mackey.
  13. Brother-in-law of George Henry White.
  14. Seated in Congress after the contested election that involved Edward Venable in September 1890.[26] First African American to serve in Congress from Virginia.
  15. Seated in Congress after contested election that involved William Elliott in September 1890.
  16. Seated in Congress after contested election that involved William Elliott in June 1896.[30] Distant relative of Jim Clyburn.
  17. Brother-in-law of Henry P. Cheatham. The last African American to serve in Congress from a Southern state until Barbara Jordan from Texas and Andrew Young from Georgia in 1973.
  18. First African American to serve in Congress from Illinois and the first to serve from outside the Southern states.
  19. First African American to be elected to Congress as a member of the Democratic party.
  20. Excluded from membership in the 90th United States Congress in February 1967. Reelected to fill vacancy caused by exclusion from membership, but did not take oath of office. First African American to serve in Congress from New York.
  21. First African American to serve in Congress from Michigan. The first person to serve as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 91st United States Congress during the first session.
  22. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Earl Chudoff in 1958. First African American to serve in Congress from Pennsylvania.
  23. First African American to serve in Congress from California.
  24. First African American to become Dean of the United States House of Representatives.
  25. First African-American woman to serve in Congress and the first African-American woman to run as a presidential candidate in 1972.
  26. His son, Lacy Clay, succeeded him in office. First African American to serve in Congress from Missouri.
  27. First African American to serve in Congress from Ohio. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 92nd United States Congress during the second session and in the 93rd United States Congress during the first session.
  28. Elected to Congress to fill vacancy caused by the death of Daniel Ronan. Collins's wife, Cardiss Collins, filled the vacancy caused by his death.
  29. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 101st United States Congress.
  30. First African-American Catholic in the United States Congress. Metcalfe converted to the Catholic Church in 1932, while an undergraduate at Marquette University.[46][47]
  31. First African American to serve in Congress from Maryland. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 95th United States Congress.
  32. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 93rd United States Congress during the second session and in the 94th United States Congress during the first session.
  33. First woman to serve as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 94th United States Congress during the second session.
  34. First African American to serve in Congress from Texas. Along with Andrew Young from Georgia, the first African American to serve in Congress from a Southern state since George Henry White from North Carolina in 1901.
  35. Along with Barbara Jordan from Texas, the first African American to serve in Congress from a Southern state since George Henry White from North Carolina in 1901.
  36. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of her husband, George W. Collins. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 96th United States Congress.
  37. His son, Harold Ford Jr. succeeded him in office. First African American to serve in Congress from Tennessee.
  38. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 98th United States Congress.
  39. Served as chair for the House Democratic Caucus during the 101st United States Congress and House Democratic Whip during the 102nd United States Congress.
  40. Served as chair for the Congressional Black Caucus in the 99th United States Congress.
  41. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Charles Diggs.
  42. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 100th United States Congress.
  43. Elected to Congress to fill vacancy caused by the death of Adam Benjamin Jr. First African American to serve in Congress from Indiana.
  44. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 102nd United States Congress.
  45. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Harold Washington.
  46. Elected to Congress to fill vacancy caused by the death of Joseph Addabbo.
  47. Served as Democratic chief whip in the 102nd through 109th Congresses. Also, served as the Democratic Senior Chief Deputy Whip in the 110th through 112th Congresses.
  48. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 103rd United States Congress. Also, served as co-chair of the Democratic Policy Committee in the 104th United States Congress. Subsequently elected to fill vacancy caused by death of Elijah Cummings.
  49. His son, Donald Payne Jr., succeeded him in office. First African American to serve in Congress from New Jersey. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 104th United States Congress.
  50. Elected to office to fill vacancy caused by death of Mickey Leland.
  51. First African American to serve in Congress from Connecticut.
  52. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 105th United States Congress. Served as vice chair of the Democratic Steering Committee in the 105th through 108th Congresses. Served as Democratic chief deputy whip in the 106th through 112th Congresses.
  53. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of William H. Gray.
  54. Elected to fill vacancy caused by death of Walter B. Jones Sr. Served as co-chair of the Democratic Policy Committee in the 104th United States Congress.
  55. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 106th United States Congress. Served as vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus in the 108th through 109th Congresses. Served as House majority whip in the 110th through 111th Congresses. Served as the Assistant Democratic Leader in the 112th United States Congress. Distant relative of George W. Murray.
  56. Youngest member of the 103rd United States Congress at age 30.
  57. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 107th United States Congress.
  58. First African-American woman to serve in Congress from Georgia.
  59. Her son, Kendrick Meek, succeeded her in office.
  60. Tucker was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
  61. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 109th United States Congress.
  62. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Mike Espy.
  63. First African American to serve in Congress from Oklahoma. Served as chair of the House Republican Conference in the 106th through 107th Congresses.
  64. He was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Mel Reynolds.
  65. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Walter Tucker.
  66. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Kweisi Mfume. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 108th United States Congress.
  67. Carson's grandson, André Carson, filled the vacancy caused by her death.
  68. Succeeded his father, Harold Ford Sr., in office. Youngest member of the 105th United States Congress at age 26.
  69. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 110th United States Congress.
  70. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Floyd H. Flake.
  71. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Ron Dellums. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 111th United States Congress.
  72. Succeeded his father, Bill Clay, in office.
  73. Elected to fill vacancy caused by death of Julian C. Dixon.
  74. Became a member of the Republican Party in 2012.
  75. Succeeded his mother, Carrie P. Meek, in office.
  76. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Frank Ballance. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 114th United States Congress.
  77. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 112th United States Congress.
  78. First African American to serve in Congress from Wisconsin.[124]
  79. First African American to serve in Congress from Minnesota and the first Muslim to serve in Congress.
  80. Elected to fill vacancy caused by death of Juanita Millender-McDonald. In 2012 was reprimanded due to use of Congressional office staff in 2010 House election campaign.
  81. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of his grandmother, Julia Carson.
  82. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Albert Wynn.
  83. Elected to fill vacancy caused by death of Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 113th United States Congress
  84. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 116th United States Congress.
  85. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 115th United States Congress.
  86. Served as Republican assistant majority whip in the 112th United States Congress. First African American to serve in both chambers of the United States Congress
  87. Served as Democratic senior whip in the 112th United States Congress.
  88. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of his father, Donald M. Payne.
  89. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 117th United States Congress.
  90. First African American to serve in Congress from Nevada.
  91. First African-American to serve as party floor leader for either chamber of Congress
  92. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Jesse Jackson Jr.
  93. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Mel Watt.
  94. First female African-American Republican to serve in Congress, first African American to serve in Congress from Utah and first Haitian American to serve in Congress. Also the first African-American Latter Day Saint elected to Congress after converting in 1998.[149]
  95. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Chaka Fattah.
  96. First African American to serve in Congress from Delaware.
  97. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of John Conyers.
  98. First African-American woman to serve in Congress from Connecticut.
  99. First African American to serve in Congress from Colorado and first Eritrean American to serve in Congress.
  100. First Somali-American to serve in Congress. Along with Rashida Tlaib, the first Muslim-American woman to serve in Congress.
  101. First African-American woman to serve in Congress from Massachusetts.
  102. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of John Lewis, for a term that ended at the conclusion of the 116th United States Congress on January 3, 2021.
  103. First African-American woman to serve in Congress from Missouri.
  104. First African American to serve in Congress from Washington. Also first Afro-Asian woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.[176]
  105. First LGBTQ African American to serve in Congress.[177]
  106. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Cedric Richmond.
  107. Elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Marcia Fudge.
  108. Elected to fill vacancy caused by death of Alcee Hastings.
  109. Youngest member of the 118th United States Congress at age 25.
  110. First African-American woman to serve in Congress from Pennsylvania.
  111. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of re-elected Donald McEachin, for a term that already began at the opening of the 118th United States Congress on January 3, 2023. First African-American woman to serve in Congress from Virginia.
  112. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of David Cicilline. First African American to serve in Congress from Rhode Island.
  113. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of Donald Payne Jr..
  114. Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of her mother, Sheila Jackson Lee.
  115. First African American to serve in Congress from Oregon.
  116. Delegates are organized first in chronological order according to their first term in office, then second in alphabetical order according to their surname.
  117. First African American to serve as a delegate for the District of Columbia. Elected to serve in Congress after the District of Columbia was authorized to elect a Delegate by the District of Columbia Delegate Act of 1970. Served as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 97th United States Congress.
  118. First African American to serve in Congress from the Virgin Islands.
  119. First woman elected to serve in Congress from the Virgin Islands.
  120. Elected to fill vacancy caused by death of James Mann.[203] First African American elected to Congress, but denied seat.
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