Summary

There are 43 African American Members serving in the 112^th Congress, all in the House of Representatives. There have been 133 African American Members of Congress: 127 have been elected to the House; 5 have been elected to the Senate; and 1 has been appointed to the Senate. There have been 104 Democrats, 101 in the House and 3 in the Senate; and 29 Republicans, 26 in the House and 3 in the Senate.

The number of African American Members has steadily increased since the first African Americans entered Congress in 1870. There were fewer than 10 Members until the 91^st Congress (1969-1971). In the 98^th Congress (1983-1985), the number surpassed 20 for the first time and then jumped to 40 in the 103^rd Congress (1993-1995). Since the 106^th Congress (1999-2001), the number has remained between 39 and 44 serving at any one time.

The first African American Member of Congress was Hiram Rhodes Revels (R-MS), who served in the Senate in the 41^st Congress (served 1870-1871). The first African American Member of the House was Joseph H. Rainey (R-SC), who also served in the 41^st Congress.

Shirley Chisholm (D-NY), elected to the 91^st through 97^th Congresses (1969-1983), was the first African American woman in Congress. Since that time, 30 other African American women have been elected, including Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL, 1993-1999), who is the only African American woman, as well as the first African American Democrat, elected to the Senate.

Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI, 1965-present), the current chair of the House Judiciary Committee, holds the record for length of service by an African American Member (46 years). He was first elected to the 89^th Congress (1965-1967) and has served since January 3, 1965.

Representative James E. Clyburn (D-SC, 1993-present) and former Representatives William H. Gray III (D-PA, 1979-1991) and J.C. Watts (R-OK, 1995-2003) have been elected to the highest leadership positions held by African American Members of Congress. Representative Clyburn, the House Assistant Democratic leader in the 112^th Congress, served as the House majority whip in the 110^th and 111^th Congresses and as vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus in the 108^th and 109^th Congresses. Representative Gray was chair of the House Democratic Caucus in 1989 (101^st Congress). Later in that Congress, when a vacancy occurred, he was elected House majority whip, a position he held until his resignation from Congress in September 1991 (102^nd Congress). Representative Watts served as chair of the House Republican Conference in the 106^th-107^th Congresses (1997-2001).

Twenty African Americans have served as committee chairs, 19 in the House and 1 in the Senate.

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), whose origins date back to 1969, currently has 43 members. Over its 40-year history, the CBC has been one of the most influential caucuses in Congress.

This report will be updated as needed.

Introduction

One hundred thirty-three African Americans have served in the U.S. Congress: 127 in the House and 6 in the Senate.¹ Of these, 31 have been women. A record 43 African American Members (all in the House, including two delegates) serve in the 112^th Congress. All but 2 are Democrats and 15 are women. No African Americans have served in both houses of Congress.

The majority of African American Members of Congress (103) have been Democrats; 29 have been Republicans. Five others, all Democrats, have served as Delegates to the House. All of the Democrats have been elected in the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Twenty-two African American Republicans served in the 19^th century House, five in the 20^th century (four in the House and one in the Senate), and one was reelected to a single term in the 21^st century before retiring. Two others have been elected to the House in the 21^st century.

Excluding delegates, African Americans currently hold 41 (9.4%) of the 435 voting seats in the House of Representatives in the 112^th Congress. Including delegates, African Americans currently hold 43 seats in the House of Representatives, totaling 9.8% of the entire House.² No African Americans serve in the Senate in the 112^th Congress.

African Americans did not serve in Congress until the 41^st Congress (1869-1871) when two were elected to the House and a third, Hiram Rhodes Revels (R-MS), was elected to the Senate by the Mississippi state legislature.³ This was during the Reconstruction period following the Civil War (1865-1877). Of particular significance is the fact that "all of the 17 African-American Members between 1870 and 1887 came from the new Reconstruction governments in the former Confederacy."⁴ No African Americans served in Congress from the 57^th Congress (1901-1903) until the 71^st Congress (1929-1931), when one Member was elected to the House. This was in part because (1) the congressional focus on racial equality had faded; (2) the slow disintegration of the Republican-dominated Reconstruction governments had a detrimental effect on the rights of black voters, and those seeking political office were vulnerable to Democratic state governments controlled by former Confederates and their sympathizers; (3) a variety of impediments such as the poll tax and educational tests prevented African Americans from voting; and (4) some state legislatures attempted to gerrymander congressional districts to restrict the election of African Americans.⁵

The first African American Member of Congress was Hiram Rhodes Revels (R-MS), who served in the Senate in the 41^st Congress (1870-1871). He also has the distinction of being the first African American Member of the Senate and the first African American Member of Congress from Mississippi. On January 20, 1870, he was chosen by the Mississippi legislature to take the seat previously held by Albert G. Brown, who withdrew from the Senate on January 12, 1861, after Mississippi seceded from the Union. Senator Blanche K. Bruce (R-MS, 1875-1881) was the first African American Senator to serve a full Senate term of six years.

Joseph H. Rainey (R-SC, 1870-1879) was the first African American Member of the House of Representatives, beginning service, like Senator Revels, in the 41^st Congress. Shirley Chisholm (D-NY), elected to the 91^st through 97^th Congresses (1969-1983), was the first African American woman to serve in Congress. Edward Brooke (R-MA) was the first African American elected to the Senate after passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, which provided for the direct election of Senators. He served in the 90^th through 95^th Congresses (1967-1979).

Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL, 1993-1999) is the only African American woman, as well as the first African American Democrat, to serve in the Senate. President Barack Obama was the first African American male Democrat to serve in the Senate. He served as a Senator from Illinois from 2005 until his resignation on November 16, 2008, after he was elected President of the United States. Senator Roland Burris (D-IL, 2009-present), who was appointed to the seat vacated by President Obama, is the first African American appointed to the Senate. Representative Walter Fauntroy (D-DC, 1971-1991) was the first African American delegate to serve in Congress.

Representative Charles Diggs (D-MI, 1955-1980) was the first chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

As chair of the Senate Select Committee to Investigate Freedman's Savings and Trust Company (46^th Congress), Blanche K. Bruce (R-MS) was the first African American to chair a congressional committee. As chair of the House Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments (81^st Congress), William L. Dawson (D-IL, 1943-1970) was the first African American to chair a House committee.

John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), the current chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has served longer than any other African American Member of Congress. Representative Conyers has served since 1965. Edward Brooke (R-MA, 1967-1979) holds the record for Senate service by an African American.

Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requires that all Members of the House of Representatives must be "chosen every second Year by the People of the several States." Therefore, all Representatives enter office through election, even those who enter after a seat becomes open during a Congress. By contrast, the Seventeenth Amendment gives state legislatures the option to empower governors to fill Senate vacancies by temporary appointment.

All 126 of the African Americans who have served in the House have been elected, as well as all but one of the six African American Senators. The lone exception is Senator Roland Burris (D-IL, 2009-2010).

Representative James E. Clyburn (D-SC, 1993-present), the House assistant minority leader in the 112^th Congress, served as the House majority whip in the 110^th-111^th Congresses, and as vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus in the 108^th and 109^th Congresses. Former Representatives William H. Gray III (D-PA, 1979-1991) and J.C. Watts (R-OK, 1995-2003) were also elected members of the House leadership. Representative Gray was chair of the House Democratic Caucus in 1989 (101^st Congress). Later in that Congress, when a vacancy occurred, he was elected House majority whip, a position he held until his resignation from Congress in September 1991 (102^nd Congress). Representative Watts served as chair of the House Republican Conference in the 106^th-107^th Congresses (1997-2003).

Representative John Lewis (D-GA, 1987-present), the Democratic senior chief deputy whip in the 110^th-112^th Congresses, served as a Democratic chief deputy whip in the 102^nd-109^th Congresses (1991-2007). Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA, 1991-present) has served as a Democratic chief deputy whip since the 106^th Congress, and Representative G.K. Butterfield (D-NC, 2004-present) has served as a Democratic chief deputy whip since the 110^th Congress. Former Representative Shirley Chisholm (D-NY, 1969-1983) served as secretary to the Democratic Caucus in the 96^th Congress (1977-1979).

Nineteen African American Representatives and one Senator have chaired congressional committees, including four in the House in the 111^th Congress and a record five in the 110^th Congress. No African Americans serve as committee chairs in the 112^th Congress.

The other African American committee chairs were Senator Blanche Bruce (R-MS, 1875-1881) and Representatives Yvonne B. Burke (D-CA, 1973-1979); William L. Clay Sr. (D-MO, 1969-2001); William L. Dawson (D-IL, 1943-1970); Ronald V. Dellums (D-CA, 1971-1998); Charles C. Diggs Jr. (D-MI, 1955-1980); Julian Dixon (D-CA, 1979-2000); William H. Gray III (D-PA, 1979-1991); Augustus F. Hawkins (D-CA, 1963-1991); George T. (Mickey) Leland (D-TX, 1979-1989); Parren J. Mitchell (D-MD, 1971-1987); Robert N.C. Nix Sr. (D-PA, 1958-1979); Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (D-NY, 1945-1967, 1969-1971); Louis Stokes (D-OH, 1969-1999); Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA, 1996-2007); and Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH, 1999-2008).⁶

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) traces its origins to the start of the 91^st Congress in January 1969 when Representative Charles Diggs (MI) brought together the other African American Members of the House to form the Democratic Select Committee.⁷ As the Select Committee expanded its legislative goals and activities during 1970, it reorganized into a more formal organization, the Congressional Black Caucus, with 13 members at the start of the 92^nd Congress in 1971. The CBC became only the fifth Member organization to exist in Congress.⁸ Since the 92^nd Congress, all African American Members except three have joined the CBC. Currently, there are 42 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, comprising all the African American Members of Congress except one. It is chaired by Representative Emanuel Cleaver (MO).⁹

Three main factors contributed to the founding of the CBC: greater African American participation in electoral politics following passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a perceived African American leadership vacuum due to the deaths or marginalization of many civil rights leaders in the late 1960s, and perceived inattention to issues of concern to African Americans by the Nixon Administration.¹⁰ Although the number of African American legislators increased during the 1968 and 1970 congressional elections, the African American community was still proportionally underrepresented in Congress. According to the CBC, its founding members "believed that a black caucus in Congress, speaking with a single voice, would provide political influence and visibility far beyond their numbers."¹¹

In addition to serving as a voice for the African American community, the Congressional Black Caucus has also addressed issues of concern to the poor and other underrepresented minority groups, both in the United States and abroad. This broader scope is reflected in the original mission of the CBC: "to promote the public welfare through legislation designed to meet the needs of millions of neglected citizens."¹² In domestic policy, the CBC has supported efforts to improve access and quality of education and health care, reduce unemployment, protect voting rights, and provide better housing and childcare for the poor and working class. In foreign policy, the CBC generally supports international human rights and focuses on issues where current U.S. policy may conflict with professed American values of liberty and equality.¹³ This was shown in the CBC stance against apartheid in South Africa, its push for humanitarian aid and refugee assistance for Haiti, and the continual efforts of some CBC members to urge Congress to consider the concerns of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).¹⁴ Historically, the CBC has used both informal and formal strategies to influence foreign policy, varying from organizing protests and boycotts to conducting special hearings, writing letters, and introducing legislation.¹⁵

At times, the CBC plays an oppositional role, both within Congress and the established party structure. One scholar has argued that within Congress, the CBC serves "not only as an interest group for blacks but also as a labor union for its members."¹⁶ In 1974, for example, House leadership agreed to put one black Member on each major committee at the urging of the CBC.¹⁷ The CBC also often issues declarations of its policy agenda, distinct from either party's agenda. This was reflected by some of the earliest caucus efforts, beginning with a February 1970 letter to President Richard Nixon addressing issues facing black and impoverished Americans and the presentation of 61 policy recommendations to the President concerning domestic and foreign policy matters at a meeting on March 25, 1971.¹⁸ Another example is the CBC alternative federal budget, which has been presented to Congress annually since 1981.¹⁹

The caucus also plays a symbolic role for the African American community. Some scholars have argued that the caucus is more effective as a social and community organization than it is a political or legislative institution.²⁰ Evidence also indicates that in recent years CBC members may use the organization's increased size and influence within the House to ascend to party and committee leadership positions.²¹ As Members of the House and Senate, CBC members held the highest national elected office positions of any African Americans until the 2008 presidential election of former CBC member Barack Obama. The CBC Foundation (CBCF) sponsors a number of leadership development programs, internships, fellowships, and scholarships to encourage the next generation of African American leaders.²² In Congress, CBC members regularly celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans and minorities, by introducing resolutions to commemorate African American and minority leaders as well as civil rights activists.²³

Three noteworthy legislative initiatives championed by the CBC include the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, sanctions on South Africa to pressure an end to apartheid, and humanitarian assistance to Haiti.²⁴ The subsequent section describes the CBC's role in these legislative endeavors.

The bill to establish a federal holiday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 3, 1983.²⁵ Representative John Conyers (MI) introduced the first Martin Luther King Jr. holiday bill on April 8, 1968, four days after King's assassination. After its founding in 1971, the CBC became a strong advocate for a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, frequently participating in demonstrations, orchestrating petition drives, and introducing legislation. In 1971, Congress received a petition signed by 6 million Americans in support of the King holiday, and Representative Conyers and Representative Shirley Chisholm (NY), another CBC member, reintroduced King holiday legislation during every subsequent session of Congress until the holiday became law. On January 15, 1981, musician Stevie Wonder, with the support of the CBC, sponsored a march, rally, and benefit concert in Washington, DC, to celebrate what would have been King's 52^nd birthday and to raise awareness about the King holiday legislation.²⁶

On August 27, 1983, more than 200,000 people gathered for a civil rights march at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of King's march on Washington.²⁷ The attention to King's legacy, coupled with political protests and the spread of local and state King holiday legislation, made 1983 an opportune time for enactment of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The successful 1983 legislation was introduced by CBC member Representative Katie Hall on July 29, passing the House by a vote of 338-90 on August 2 and the Senate by a vote of 78-22 on October 19, and was signed into law on November 2.²⁸

The CBC began to address apartheid during the 1970s because it felt that the executive branch had not made ending discrimination in South Africa a priority.²⁹ Between 1972 and 1986, members of the CBC introduced more than 15 bills seeking to end apartheid and racial discrimination practices in South Africa. As a result of the CBC's Black Leadership Conference, the CBC helped establish TransAfrica in 1976, a foreign policy advocacy group designed to raise awareness about African and Caribbean issues. Besides endorsing legislative sanctions, TransAfrica and the CBC also lobbied corporations and universities to divest from South Africa. Through hearings, rallies, and protests in their home districts and in Washington, DC, CBC members increased attention on apartheid in South Africa.³⁰

During the 1980s, public awareness and concern about apartheid grew as violence increased in South Africa. By the mid-1980s, the need to address apartheid in South Africa became more pressing and politically feasible. The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act (H.R. 4868), introduced by a CBC member, Representative William H. Gray (PA),³¹ included sanctions against South Africa that would not be eased until certain conditions, like the release of political prisoners, were met. The original sanctions in the bill included banning new investments in or loans to South Africa, prohibiting imports of uranium, steel, and coal imports, and removing airport landing rights for South African Airways. An amendment by another CBC member, Representative Ronald Dellums (CA), strengthened the sanctions to include a full trade embargo and complete divestment from South Africa.³² The bill was vetoed by President Ronald Reagan on September 26, 1986,³³ but was overridden by a House vote of 313 to 83 on September 29, 1986, and by a Senate vote of 78 to 21 on October 2, 1986.³⁴

In 1976, Representative Shirley Chisholm (NY) and Delegate Walter Fauntroy (DC) formed the Congressional Black Caucus Task Force on Haitian Refugees to pursue humane treatment and equal justice for refugees from Haiti entering the United States. The name of the caucus was changed to the Congressional Task Force on Haiti in 1981 as it adopted broader policy objectives regarding Haiti and also included members outside of the CBC.³⁵

By 1985, it was clear that the 30-year dictatorial regime of Francois Duvalier and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier was nearing its end. In 1986, the U.S. Embassy, working with the Roman Catholic Church and Haitian army, deposed President Jean-Claude Duvalier peacefully, and Haiti scheduled its first free election for November 29, 1987.³⁶ In response to the efforts of the Congressional Task Force on Haiti, American aid to Haiti doubled from $50 million in 1986 to $101 million in 1987, despite tight fiscal conditions.³⁷

CBC activism for Haiti continued during the late 1980s and 1990s, as a series of military coups led to a difficult post-Duvalier transition period. After Haiti's first democratic presidential election in December 1990, President Bertrand Aristide was overthrown in September 1991, eight months after taking office. Many in the CBC believed the only remedy for the escalating refugee crisis was to restore Aristide to office. Beginning in October 1993, the CBC asked President Bill Clinton to impose the strongest military sanctions available against Haiti or to conduct a military intervention. A letter sent to President Clinton on March 18, 1994, by the CBC and signed by all its members, stated that "The United States Haiti policy must be scrapped." The CBC supported the U.S.- and U.N.-imposed sanctions on Haiti during May and June 1994, with some members advocating for even stronger sanctions. An envoy sent to Haiti on September 18, 1994, by President Clinton convinced Haiti's military rulers to resign and to allow U.S. peacekeeping troops to enter the country and restore Aristide to the presidency.³⁸

Concerned about the cost of the Haiti mission and the lack of a troop withdrawal date, Representative Gary Franks (CT), the only Republican member of the CBC, publicly opposed the Clinton Administration's policy and blamed the CBC for the President's decision, stating that a "majority of the Congressional Black Caucus wanted the United States to invade Haiti, and President Clinton caved in." Others argue that Clinton and the CBC simply shared the same position and that the refugee situation constituted a vital American interest.³⁹

This section of the report provides tabular information on African American Members of Congress, including the Congresses in which they served, the committees, on which they served, and an indication of the committees they chaired or co-chaired, or served as ranking Member. In addition, five tables summarize information about African American Members.

Most of the data presented are drawn from the Biographical Directory of the American Congress, http://bioguide.congress.gov, various editions of the Congressional Directory, and a broad range of Congressional Quarterly Inc. and Leadership Directories Inc. publications. For additional information, refer to Black Americans in Congress, 1870-2007, (Washington: GPO, 2008), http://baic.house.gov, written by the Office of History and Preservation in the House of Representatives.⁴⁰

For 112^th Congress committee assignments, the sources are Official Alphabetical List of the Members with Committee Assignments in the 112^th Congress (available online from the clerk's website at http://clerk.house.gov/committee_info/oal.pdf).

Note that the names and jurisdiction of House and Senate committees have changed several times over the years covered by this report. In the interest of brevity, this report does not identify all historical name changes. The committee names that are listed are those that were in effect at the time a particular Member served on a panel.

BALLANCE, FRANK W. Jr., a Representative from North Carolina. Born on February 15, 1942. Elected as a Democrat to the 108^th Congress; served from January 7, 2003, until his resignation June 11, 2004.

BASS, KAREN, a Representative from California. Born on October 3, 1953. Elected as a Democrat to the 112^th Congress; has served since January 3, 2011.

BISHOP, SANFORD D. Jr., a Representative from Georgia. Born on February 4, 1947. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993.

BLACKWELL, LUCIEN E., a Representative from Pennsylvania. Born on August 1, 1931; died on January 24, 2003. Elected as a Democrat to the 102^nd Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative William Gray; reelected to the 103^rd Congress; served from November 11, 1991, to January 3, 1995.

BROOKE, EDWARD W., a Senator from Massachusetts. Born on October 26, 1919. Elected as a Republican to two six-year terms beginning with the 90^th Congress and served through the 95^th Congress, from January 3, 1967, to January 3, 1979. First African American Member of Congress from Massachusetts.

BROWN, CORRINE, a Representative from Florida. Born on November 11, 1946. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993.

BRUCE, BLANCHE K., a Senator from Mississippi. Born on March 1, 1841; died on March 17, 1898. Elected as a Republican to a six-year term beginning with the 44^th Congress and served through the 46^th Congress, from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1881.

BURKE, YVONNE BRAITHWAITE, a Representative from California. Born on October 5, 1932. Elected as a Democrat to the 93^rd through 95^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1973, to January 3, 1979. First female chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, 94^th Congress.

BURRIS, ROLAND, a Senator from Illinois. Born on August 3, 1937. Appointed as a Democrat to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of President Barack Obama; appointed on December 31, 2008, to the 110^th Congress, but not seated until January 15, 2009, in the 111^th Congress. Served from January 15, 2009, to November 29, 2010.

BUTTERFIELD, G.K., a Representative from North Carolina. Born on April 27, 1947. Elected as a Democrat to the 108^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Frank Ballance; reelected to the 109^th-112^th Congresses, has served since July 21, 2004; a chief deputy Democratic whip in the 110^th and 112^th Congresses.

CAIN, RICHARD H., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on April 12, 1825; died on January 18, 1887. Elected as a Republican to the 43^rd and 45^th Congresses; served from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1875, and from March 4, 1877, to March 3, 1879.

CARSON, ANDRÉ, a Representative from Indiana. Born on October 16, 1974. Elected as a Democrat to the 110^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his grandmother, Julia Carson; reelected to the 111^th-112^th Congresses; has served since March 13, 2008.

CARSON, JULIA M., a Representative from Indiana. Born on July 8, 1938; died in office December 15, 2007. Elected as a Democrat to the 105^th through 110^th Congresses; served from January 9, 1997, to December 15, 2007.

CHEATHAM, HENRY P., a Representative from North Carolina. Born on December 27, 1857; died on November 29, 1935. Elected as a Republican to the 51^st and 52^nd Congresses; served from March 4, 1889, to March 3, 1893.

CHISHOLM, SHIRLEY A., a Representative from New York. Born on November 30, 1924; died on January 1, 2005. Elected as a Democrat to the 91^st through 97^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1969, to January 3, 1983. First African American woman elected to Congress and first African American female presidential candidate, 1972. Secretary of the Democratic Caucus in the 96^th Congress, 1977-1979.

CHRISTENSEN, DONNA M., a Delegate from the Virgin Islands. Born on September 19, 1945. Elected as a Democrat to the 105^th Congress through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 7, 1997. First woman elected from the Virgin Islands.

CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSEN, DONNA and CHRISTIAN-GREEN, DONNA. See CHRISTENSEN, DONNA.

CLARKE, HANSEN H., a Representative from Michigan. Born on March 2, 1957. Elected as a Democrat to 112^th Congress; has served since January 3, 2011.

CLARKE, YVETTE D., a Representative from New York. Born on November 21, 1964. Elected as a Democrat to the 110^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 4, 2007.

CLAY, WILLIAM L. Sr., a Representative from Missouri. Born on April 30, 1931. Elected as a Democrat to the 91^st through 106^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1969, to January 3, 2001. Succeeded by his son, Representative William Lacy Clay Jr. First African American Member of Congress from Missouri.

CLAY, WILLIAM LACY Jr., a Representative from Missouri. Born on July 27, 1956; succeeded his father, Representative William L. Clay Sr. Elected as a Democrat to the 107^th-112^th Congresses; has served since January 3, 2001.

CLAYTON, EVA M., a Representative from North Carolina. Born on September 16, 1934. Elected as a Democrat to the 102^nd Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Walter Jones; reelected to the 103^rd through 107^th Congresses; served from November 5, 1992, to January 3, 2003. Co-chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee in the 104^th Congress.

CLEAVER, EMANUEL II, a Representative from Missouri. Born on October 26, 1944. Elected as Democrat to the 109^th-112^th Congresses; has served since January 4, 2005. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 112^th Congress.

CLYBURN, JAMES E., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on July 21, 1940. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 106^th Congress. Vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus in the 108^th-109^th Congresses; House majority whip in the 110^th and 111^th Congresses; Assistant Democratic Leader, 112^th Congress.

COLLINS, BARBARA-ROSE, a Representative from Michigan. Born on April 13, 1939. Elected as a Democrat to the 102^nd through 104^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1991, to January 3, 1997.

COLLINS, CARDISS, a Representative from Illinois. Born on September 24, 1931. Elected as a Democrat to the 93^rd through 104^th Congresses; served from June 7, 1973, to January 3, 1997. First elected to succeed her husband, Representative George Collins. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 96^th Congress.

COLLINS, GEORGE W., a Representative from Illinois. Born on March 5, 1926; died on December 8, 1972, in an airplane crash. Elected as a Democrat to the 91^st Congress to fill the vacancy by the death of Representative Daniel Ronan; reelected to the 92^nd and 93^rd Congresses; served from November 16, 1970, to December 8, 1972. Succeeded by his wife, Representative Cardiss Collins.

CONYERS, JOHN Jr., a Representative from Michigan. Born on May 16, 1929. Elected as a Democrat to the 89^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1965.

CROCKETT, GEORGE W., a Representative from Michigan. Born on August 10, 1909; died on September 7, 1997. Elected as a Democrat to the 96^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Charles Diggs; reelected to the 97^th through 101^st Congresses; served from November 12, 1980, to January 3, 1991.

CUMMINGS, ELIJAH E., a Representative from Maryland. Born on January 18, 1951. Elected as a Democrat to the 104^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Kweisi Mfume; reelected to the 105^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since April 25, 1996. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 108^th Congress.

DAVIS, ARTUR, a Representative from Alabama. Born on October 9, 1967. Elected as a Democrat to the 108^th through 111^th Congresses; served from January 7, 2003, to January 3, 2011.

DAVIS, DANNY K., a Representative from Illinois. Born on September 6, 1941. Elected as a Democrat to the 105^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 7, 1997.

DAWSON, WILLIAM L., a Representative from Illinois. Born on April 26, 1886; died in office November 9, 1970. Elected as a Democrat to the 78^th through 91^st Congresses; served from January 3, 1943, to November 9, 1970.

DeLARGE, ROBERT C., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on March 15, 1842; died on February 14, 1874. Elected as a Republican to the 42^nd Congress; served from March 4, 1871, until January 24, 1873, when his seat was declared vacant after his election was successfully contested by former Representative Christopher C. Bowen.

DELLUMS, RONALD V., a Representative from California. Born on November 25, 1935. Elected as a Democrat to the 92^nd through 105^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1971, until February 6, 1998, when he resigned from the House. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 101^st Congress. Elected mayor of Oakland in 2006.

DePRIEST, OSCAR S., a Representative from Illinois. Born on March 9, 1871; died on May 12, 1951. Elected as a Republican to the 71^st through 73^rd Congresses; served from March 4, 1929, to March 3, 1935. First African American Member of Congress from Illinois.

DIGGS, CHARLES C. Jr., a Representative from Michigan. Born on December 2, 1922; died on August 24, 1998. Elected as a Democrat to the 84^th through 96^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1955, until his resignation on June 3, 1980. First African American Member of Congress from Michigan and first chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, 92^nd Congress.

DIXON, JULIAN C., a Representative from California. Born on August 8, 1934; died on December 8, 2000. Elected as a Democrat to the 96^th through 106^th Congresses; reelected to the 107^th Congress, but died before the commencement of the 107^th Congress; served from January 3, 1979, until his death. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 98^th Congress.

DYMALLY, MERVYN M., a Representative from California. Born on May 12, 1926. Elected as a Democrat to the 97^th through 102^nd Congresses; served from January 3, 1981, to January 3, 1993. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 100^th Congress.

EDWARDS, DONNA F., a Representative from Maryland. Born on June 28, 1958. Elected as a Democrat to the 110^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Albert Wynn; reelected to the 111^th and 112^th Congresses; has served since June 19, 2008.

ELLIOTT, ROBERT B., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on August 11, 1842; died on August 9, 1884. Elected as a Republican to the 42^nd and 43^rd Congresses; served from March 4, 1871, until his resignation on November 1, 1874.

ELLISON, KEITH, a Representative from Minnesota. Born on August 4, 1963. Elected as a Democrat to the 110^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 4, 2007. First African American Member of Congress from Minnesota. First Muslim Member of Congress.

ESPY, ALBERT MICHAEL (MIKE), a Representative from Mississippi. Born on November 28, 1953. Elected as a Democrat to the 100^th through 103^rd Congresses. Served from January 6, 1987, to January 25, 1993, when he resigned to become secretary of agriculture.

EVANS, MELVYN H., a Delegate from the Virgin Islands. Born on August 7, 1917; died on November 27, 1984. Elected as a Republican to the 96^th Congress; served from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1981. First African American Delegate from the Virgin Islands.

FATTAH, CHAKA, a Representative from Pennsylvania. Born on November 21, 1956. Elected as a Democrat to the 104^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1995.

FAUNTROY, WALTER E., a Delegate from the District of Columbia. Born on February 6, 1933. Elected as a Democrat to the 92^nd Congress in a special election after the District of Columbia was authorized to elect a delegate to Congress; reelected to the 93^rd through 101^st Congresses; served from April 19, 1971, to January 3, 1991. First African American Delegate from the District of Columbia. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 97^th Congress.

FIELDS, CLEO, a Representative from Louisiana. Born on November 22, 1962. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd and 104^th Congresses; served from January 5, 1993, to January 3, 1997. At age 30, he was the youngest Member of the 103^rd Congress.

FLAKE, FLOYD H., a Representative from New York. Born on January 30, 1945. Elected as a Democrat to the 100^th through 105^th Congresses; served from January 6, 1987, to November 15, 1997, when he resigned from the House.

FORD, HAROLD E. Sr., a Representative from Tennessee. Born on May 20, 1945. Elected as a Democrat to the 94^th through 104^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1975, to January 3, 1997. First African American Member of Congress from Tennessee. Succeeded by his son, Harold E. Ford Jr.

FORD, HAROLD E. Jr., a Representative from Tennessee. Born on May 11, 1970. Elected as a Democrat to the 105^th through 109^th Congresses; served from January 7, 1997, to January 3, 2007. At age 26, he was the youngest Member of the 105^th Congress. Succeeded his father, Harold E. Ford Sr.

FRANKS, GARY A., a Representative from Connecticut. Born on February 9, 1953. Elected as a Republican to the 102^nd through 104^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1991, to January 3, 1997. First African American Member of Congress from Connecticut.

FRAZER, VICTOR O., a Delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Born on May 24, 1943. Elected as a Democrat to the 104^th Congress; served from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 1997.

FUDGE, MARCIA L., a representative from Ohio. Born on October 29, 1952. Elected as Democrat to the 111^th Congress and also to the 110^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Stephanie Tubbs Jones; reelected to the 112^th Congress; has served since November 19, 2008.

GRAY, WILLIAM H. III, a Representative from Pennsylvania. Born on August 20, 1941. Elected as a Democrat to the 96^th through 102^nd Congresses; served from January 3, 1979, to September 11, 1991, when he resigned to become president of the United Negro College Fund. Chair of the House Democratic Caucus in the First Session of the 101^st Congress; later in that Congress House Democratic whip (through the First Session of the 102^nd Congress).

GREEN, AL, a Representative from Texas. Born on September 1, 1947. Elected as a Democrat to the 109^th through the 112^th Congress; has served since January 4, 2005.

HALL, KATIE B., a Representative from Indiana. Born on April 3, 1938. Elected as a Democrat to the 97^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Adam Benjamin; reelected to the 98^th Congress; served from November 29, 1982, to January 3, 1985. First African American Member of Congress from Indiana.

HARALSON, JEREMIAH, a Representative from Alabama. Born on April 1, 1846, died in 1916. Elected as a Republican to the 44^th Congress; served from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1877.

HASTINGS, ALCEE L., a Representative from Florida. Born on September 5, 1936. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993.

HAWKINS, AUGUSTUS F., a Representative from California. Born on August 31, 1907; died on November 10, 2007. Elected as a Democrat to the 88^th through 101^st Congresses; served from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1991. First African American Member of Congress from California.

HAYES, CHARLES A., a Representative from Illinois. Born on February 17, 1918; died on April 8, 1997. Elected as a Democrat to the 98^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Harold Washington; reelected to the 99^th through 102^nd Congresses; served from September 12, 1983, to January 3, 1993.

HILLIARD, EARL F., a Representative from Alabama. Born on April 9, 1942. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 107^th Congresses; served from January 5, 1993, to January 3, 2003.

HYMAN, JOHN ADAMS, a Representative from North Carolina. Born on July 23, 1840; died on September 14, 1891. Elected as a Republican to the 44^th Congress; served from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1877. First African American Member of Congress from North Carolina.

JACKSON, JESSE L. Jr., a Representative from Illinois. Born on March 11, 1965. Elected as a Democrat to the 104^th Congress to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Melvin Reynolds; reelected to the 105^th through 112^th Congresses; served from December 14, 1995 to November 21, 2012, when he resigned.

JACKSON LEE, SHEILA, a Representative from Texas. Born on January 12, 1950. Elected as a Democrat to the 104^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1995.

JEFFERSON, WILLIAM J., a Representative from Louisiana. Born on March 14, 1947. Elected as a Democrat to the 102^nd through 110^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1991, to January 3, 2009.

JOHNSON, EDDIE BERNICE, a Representative from Texas. Born on December 3, 1935. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 107^th Congress.

JOHNSON, HENRY C. (HANK) Jr., a Representative from Georgia. Born on October 2, 1954. Elected as a Democrat to the 110^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 4, 2007.

JONES, STEPHANIE TUBBS, a Representative from Ohio. Born on September 10, 1949; died in office August 20, 2008. Elected as a Democrat to the 106^th through 110^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1999, to August 20, 2008.

JORDAN, BARBARA C., a Representative from Texas. Born on February 21, 1936; died on January 17, 1996. Elected as a Democrat to the 93^rd through 95^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1973, to January 3, 1979. First African American Member of Congress from Texas.

KILPATRICK, CAROLYN CHEEKS, a Representative from Michigan. Born on June 25, 1945. Elected as a Democrat to the 105^th through 111^th Congresses; served from January 7, 1997, to January 3, 2011. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 110^th Congress.

LANGSTON, JOHN M., a Representative from Virginia. Born on December 14, 1829; died on November 15, 1897. Elected as a Republican to the 51^st Congress; served from September 23, 1890, to March 3, 1891, after he successfully contested the election of Edward Venable. First African American Member of Congress from Virginia.

LEE, BARBARA, a Representative from California. Born on July 16, 1946. Elected as a Democrat to the 105^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Ronald Dellums; reelected to the 106^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since April 20, 1998. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 111^th Congress.

LELAND, GEORGE T. (MICKEY), a Representative from Texas. Born on November 27, 1944; died in a airplane crash on August 7, 1989, while touring Ethiopian refugee camps. Elected as a Democrat to the 96^th through 101^st Congresses; served from January 3, 1979, to August 7, 1989. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 99^th Congress.

LEWIS, JOHN R., a Representative from Georgia. Born on February 19, 1940. Elected as a Democrat to the 100^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 6, 1987. A Democratic chief deputy whip in the 102^nd through 109^th Congresses; senior chief deputy Democratic whip in the 110^th through 112^th Congresses.

LONG, JEFFERSON F., a Representative from Georgia. Born on March 3, 1836; died on February 5, 1900. Elected as a Republican to the 41^st Congress after the House declared that Representative Samuel Gove was not entitled to his seat; served from January 16, 1871, to March 3, 1871. First African American Member of Congress from Georgia.

LYNCH, JOHN R., a Representative from Mississippi. Born on September 10, 1847; died on November 2, 1939. Elected as a Republican to the 43^rd, 44^th, and 47^th Congresses; served from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1877, and from April 29, 1882, to March 3, 1883, after he successfully contested the election of Representative James Chalmers. At age 26, he was the youngest Member of the 43^rd Congress. First African American Member of the House of Representatives from Mississippi.

MAJETTE, DENISE L., a Representative from Georgia. Born on May 18, 1955. Elected as a Democrat to the 108^th Congress; served from January 7, 2003, to January 3, 2005.

McKINNEY, CYNTHIA A., a Representative from Georgia. Born on March 17, 1955. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 107^th Congresses; served from January 5, 1993, to January 3, 2003; elected to the 109^th Congress; served from January 4, 2005, to January 3, 2007.

MEEK, CARRIE P., a Representative from Florida. Born on April 29, 1926. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 107^th Congresses; served from January 5, 1993, to January 3, 2003. Succeeded by her son, Representative Kendrick Meek.

MEEK, KENDRICK, a Representative from Florida. Born on September 6, 1966. Elected to the 108^th through 111^th Congresses; served from January 7, 2003, to January 3, 2011. Succeeded his mother, Representative Carrie Meek.

MEEKS, GREGORY, a Representative from New York. Born on September 25, 1953. Elected as a Democrat to the 105^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Floyd Flake; reelected to the 106^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since February 5, 1998.

METCALFE, RALPH H., a Representative from Illinois. Born on May 30, 1910; died on October 10, 1978. Elected as a Democrat to the 92^nd through 95^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1971, to October 10, 1978.

MFUME, KWEISI, a Representative from Maryland. Born on October 24, 1948. Elected as a Democrat to the 100^th through 104^th Congresses; served from January 6, 1987, to February 16, 1996, when he resigned to become executive director of the NAACP. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 103^rd Congress. Co-chair of the Democratic Policy Committee in the 104^th Congress.

MILLENDER-McDONALD, JUANITA, a Representative from California. Born on September 7, 1938; died in office on April 22, 2007. Elected as a Democrat to the 104^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Walter Tucker; reelected to the 105^th through 110^th Congresses; served from April 16, 1996, to April 22, 2007.

MILLER, THOMAS E., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on June 17, 1849; died on April 8, 1936. Elected as a Republican to the 51^st Congress, when he successfully contested the election of William Elliott; served from September 24, 1890, to March 3, 1891.

MITCHELL, ARTHUR W., a Representative from Illinois. Born on December 22, 1883; died on May 9, 1968. Elected as a Democrat to the 74^th through 77^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1935, to January 3, 1943. First African American Democrat elected to Congress.

MITCHELL, PARREN J., a Representative from Maryland. Born on April 29, 1922; died May 28, 2007. Elected as a Democrat to the 92^nd through 99^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1971, to January 3, 1987. First African American Member of Congress from Maryland. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 95^th Congress.

MOORE, GWEN, a Representative from Wisconsin. Born on April 18, 1951. Elected as a Democrat to the 109^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 4, 2005. First African American Member of Congress from Wisconsin.

MOSELEY-BRAUN, CAROL, a Senator from Illinois. Born on August 16, 1947. Elected as a Democrat to a six-year term beginning with the 103^rd Congress and served from January 5, 1993, to January 3, 1999. First African American woman and African American Democrat to serve in the Senate; candidate for U.S. President in 2004.

MURRAY, GEORGE W., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on September 22, 1853; died on April 21, 1926. Elected as a Republican to the 53^rd and 54^th Congresses; served from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1895, and from June 4, 1896, to March 3, 1897 (successfully contested an election).

NASH, CHARLES E., a Representative from Louisiana. Born on May 23, 1844; died on June 21, 1913. Elected as a Republican to the 44^th Congress; served from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1877. First African American Member of Congress from Louisiana.

NIX, ROBERT N.C. Sr., a Representative from Pennsylvania. Born on August 9, 1905; died on June 22, 1987. Elected as a Democrat to the 85^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Representative Earl Chudoff; reelected to the 86^th through 95^th Congresses; served from June 4, 1958, to January 3, 1979. First African American Member of Congress from Pennsylvania.

NORTON, ELEANOR HOLMES, a Delegate from the District of Columbia. Born on June 13, 1937. Elected as a Democrat to the 102^nd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1991.

OBAMA, BARACK, a Senator from Illinois. Born on August 4, 1961. Elected as a Democrat to a six-year term beginning with the 109^th Congress; served from January 4, 2005, until November 16, 2008, when he resigned after being elected first African American President of the United States.

O'HARA, JAMES E., a Representative from North Carolina. Born on February 26, 1844; died on September 15, 1905. Elected as a Republican to the 48^th and 49^th Congresses; served from March 4, 1883, to March 3, 1887.

OWENS, MAJOR R., a Representative from New York. Born on June 28, 1936. Elected as a Democrat to the 98^th through 110^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1983, to January 3, 2007.

PAYNE, DONALD M., a Representative from New Jersey. Born on July 16, 1934; died in office on March 6, 2012. Succeeded by his son, Donald M. Payne, Jr. Elected as a Democrat to the 101^st through 112^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1989, to March 6, 2012. First African American Member of Congress from New Jersey. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 104^th Congress.

PAYNE, DONALD M. Jr., a Representative from New Jersey. Born on December 16, 1958. Elected as a Democrat to the 112^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his father, Representative Donald Payne, Sr.; has served since November 15, 2012.

POWELL, ADAM CLAYTON Jr., a Representative from New York. Born on November 29, 1908; died on April 4, 1972. Elected as a Democrat to the 79^th through 90^th Congresses, but was not seated in the 90^th Congress (excluded from that Congress on March 1, 1967). He served from January 3, 1945, to January 3, 1967. In April 1967, he was reelected in a special election to the seat from which he had been excluded, but he did not attempt to take the oath of office. He was reelected to the 91^st Congress and served from January 3, 1969, to January 3, 1971. First African American Member of Congress from New York.

RAINEY, JOSEPH H., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on June 21, 1832; died on August 2, 1887. Elected as a Republican to the 41^st Congress when the House declared the seat of Representative Benjamin Whittemore vacant; reelected to the 42^nd through 45^th Congresses; served from December 12, 1870, to March 3, 1879. First African American Member of the House of Representatives and first African American Member of Congress from South Carolina.

RANGEL, CHARLES B., a Representative from New York. Born on June 11, 1930. Elected as a Democrat to the 92^nd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1971. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 94^th Congress.

RANSIER, ALONZO J., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on January 3, 1834; died on August 17, 1882. Elected as a Republican to the 43^rd Congress; served from March 3, 1873, to March 3, 1875.

RAPIER, JAMES T., a Representative from Alabama. Born on November 13, 1837; died on May 31, 1883. Elected as a Republican to the 43^rd Congress; served from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1875.

REVELS, HIRAM RHODES, a Senator from Mississippi. Born on September 27, 1827; died on January 16, 1901. Elected as a Republican to the 41^st Congress after Mississippi was readmitted to the union, and served from February 25, 1870, to March 3, 1871. First African American Member of Congress; first African American Senator; first African American Republican elected to Congress; first African American Member of Congress from Mississippi.

REYNOLDS, MELVIN J., a Representative from Illinois. Born on January 8, 1952. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd and 104^th Congresses; served from January 5, 1993, until his resignation on October 1, 1995.

RICHARDSON, LAURA, a Representative from California. Born on April 14, 1962. Elected as a Democrat to the 110^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald; reelected to the 111^th and 112^th Congresses; has served since September 4, 2007.

RICHMOND, CEDRIC L, a Representative from Louisiana. Born on September 13, 1973. Elected as a Democrat to the 112^th Congress; has served since January 3, 2011.

RUSH, BOBBY L., a Representative from Illinois. Born on November 23, 1946. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993.

SAVAGE, GUS, a Representative from Illinois. Born on October 30, 1925. Elected as a Democrat to the 97^th through 102^nd Congresses; served from January 3, 1981, to January 3, 1993.

SCOTT, DAVID, a Representative from Georgia. Born on June 27, 1946. Elected as a Democrat to the 108^th-112^th Congresses; has served since January 7, 2003.

SCOTT, ROBERT C., a Representative from Virginia. Born on April 30, 1947. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993.

SCOTT, TIM E., a Representative from South Carolina. Born on September 19, 1965. Elected as a Republican to the 112^th Congress; has served since January 3, 2011. An assistant majority whip, 112^th Congress.

SEWELL, TERRYCINA "TERRI", a Representative from Alabama. Born on January 1, 1965. Elected as a Democrat to the 112^th Congress; has served since January 3, 2011. A senior Democratic whip, 112^th Congress.

SMALLS, ROBERT, a Representative from South Carolina. Born on April 5, 1839; died on February 22, 1915. Elected as a Republican to the 44^th, 45^th, and 47^th through 49^th Congresses. He served from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1879; from July 19, 1882, to March 3, 1883, after he successfully contested the reelection of Representative George Tillman; and from March 18, 1884, to March 3, 1887, after he was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Edmund Mackey.

STEWART, BENNETT M., a Representative from Illinois. Born on August 6, 1912; died on April 26, 1988. Elected as a Democrat to the 96^th Congress; served from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1981.

STOKES, LOUIS, a Representative from Ohio. Born on February 23, 1925. Elected as a Democrat to the 91^st through 105^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1969, to January 3, 1999. First African American Member of Congress from Ohio. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 92^nd and 93^rd Congresses.

THOMPSON, BENNIE G., a Representative from Mississippi. Born on January 28, 1948. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd Congress to fill the vacancy caused by resignation of Representative Mike Espy; reelected to the 104^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since April 20, 1993.

TOWNS, EDOLPHUS, a Representative from New York. Born on July 21, 1934. Elected as a Democrat to the 98^th through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 3, 1983. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 102^nd Congress.

TUCKER, WALTER R. III, a Representative from California. Born on May 28, 1957. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd and 104^th Congresses; served from January 5, 1993, until his resignation on December 15, 1995.

TURNER, BENJAMIN S., a Representative from Alabama. Born on March 17, 1825; died on March 21, 1894. Elected as a Republican to the 42^nd Congress; served from March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1873. First African American Member of Congress from Alabama.

WALDON, ALTON R. Jr., a Representative from New York. Born on December 21, 1936. Elected as a Democrat to the 99^th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Joseph Addabbo; served from July 29, 1986, to January 3, 1987.

WALLS, JOSIAH T., a Representative from Florida. Born on December 30, 1842; died on May 5, 1905. Elected as a Republican to the 42^nd through 44^th Congresses; served from March 4, 1871, to January 29, 1873 (when his election was successfully contested); from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1875; and from March 4, 1875, to April 19, 1876 (when his election was successfully contested). First African American Member of Congress from Florida.

WASHINGTON, CRAIG A., a Representative from Texas. Born on October 12, 1941. Elected as a Democrat to the 101^st Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Mickey Leland; reelected to the 102^nd and 103^rd Congresses; served from December 9, 1989, to January 3, 1995.

WASHINGTON, HAROLD D., a Representative from Illinois. Born on April 15, 1922; died on November 25, 1987. Elected as a Democrat to the 97^th and 98^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1981, to April 29, 1983, when he resigned to become mayor of Chicago.

WATERS, MAXINE, a Representative from California. Born on August 31, 1938. Elected as a Democrat to the 102^nd through 112^th Congresses, has served since January 3, 1991. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 105^th Congress; vice chair of the Democratic Steering Committee in the 105^th through 108^th Congresses; a Democratic chief deputy whip in the 106^th through 112^th Congresses.

WATSON, DIANE E., a Representative from California. Born on November 12, 1933. Elected as a Democrat to the 107^th Congress to fill vacancy caused by the death of Representative Julian Dixon; reelected to the 108^th-111^th Congresses; served from June 7, 2001, to January 3, 2011. U.S. ambassador to Micronesia from 1999 to 2001.

WATT, MELVIN L., a Representative from North Carolina. Born on August 26, 1945. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 112^th Congresses; has served since January 5, 1993. Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 109^th Congress.

WATTS, J.C. Jr., a Representative from Oklahoma. Born on November 18, 1957. Elected as a Republican to the 104^th through 107^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 2003. First African American Member of Congress from Oklahoma. Chair of the House Republican Conference in the 106^th through 107^th Congresses.

WEST, ALLEN B., a Representative from Florida. Born on February 7, 1961. Elected as a Republican to the 112^th Congress; served from January 3, 2011, to present.

WHEAT, ALAN D., a Representative from Missouri. Born on October 16, 1951. Elected as a Democrat to the 98^th through 103^rd Congresses; served from January 3, 1983, to January 3, 1995.

WHITE, GEORGE H., a Representative from North Carolina. Born on December 18, 1852; died on December 28, 1918. Elected as a Republican to the 55^th and 56^th Congresses; served from March 4, 1897, to March 3, 1901.

WILSON, FREDERICA S., a Representative from Florida. Born on November 5, 1942. Elected as a Democrat to the 112^th Congress; has served since January 3, 2011.

WYNN, ALBERT R., a Representative from Maryland. Born on September 10, 1951. Elected as a Democrat to the 103^rd through 110^th Congresses; served from January 5, 1993, to May 31, 2008.

YOUNG, ANDREW, a Representative from Georgia. Born on March 12, 1932. Elected as a Democrat to the 93^rd through 95^th Congresses; served from January 3, 1973, to January 29, 1977, when he resigned to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.