From the first United States Congress in 1789 through the 116th Congress in 2020,162 African Americans served in Congress. Meanwhile,the total number of all individuals who have served in Congress over that period is 12,348. Between 1789 and 2020,152 have served in the House of Representatives,nine have served in the Senate,and one has served in both chambers. Voting members have totaled 156,while six others have served as delegates. Party membership has been 131 Democrats and 31 Republicans. While 13 members founded the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971 during the 92nd Congress,in the 116th Congress (2019-2020),56 served,with 54 Democrats and two Republicans.
John Barry Larson is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Connecticut's 1st congressional district since 1999. The district is based in the state capital,Hartford. A member of the Democratic Party,Larson chaired the House Democratic Caucus during the 111th and 112th United States Congress.
Alcee Lamar Hastings was an American politician and former judge from the state of Florida.
Michael Everett Capuano is an American politician and attorney who served as a U.S. Representative of Massachusetts from 1999 to 2019. A Democrat,his district included the northern three-fourths of Boston,as well as parts of Cambridge,his hometown of Somerville,and other communities immediately north and south of Boston. Prior to being elected to Congress,he served as an Alderman and Mayor of Somerville.
Robert Cortez Scott is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 3rd congressional district since 1993. A member of the Democratic Party,he is the dean of Virginia's congressional delegation and the first Filipino American voting member of Congress. The district serves most of the majority-black precincts of Hampton Roads,including all of the independent cities of Norfolk,Newport News,Hampton and Portsmouth,and parts of the independent city of Chesapeake. From 2019 to 2023,Scott was chair of the House Education and Labor Committee. He has been ranking member on that committee since 2023.
James Allan Barcia is an American Democratic politician from Michigan. He has served successively in the Michigan House of Representatives,the Michigan Senate,the United States House of Representatives and then again the Michigan Senate,from which he was term-limited in January 2011. He has served as County Executive of Bay County,Michigan,since January,2017.
Milton Robert Carr was an American lawyer,academic,and politician from Michigan.
Paul Brentwood Henry was an American professor of political science and politician from Michigan. He was elected to five terms and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 until his death from brain cancer in Grand Rapids,Michigan in 1993.
Floyd Davidson Spence was an American attorney and a politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina. Elected for three terms to the South Carolina House of Representatives from Lexington County as a Democrat,in 1962 Spence announced his decision to switch to the Republican Party,as he was unhappy with shifts in the national party.
James Michael Shannon is an American Democratic politician from Massachusetts. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1985,and later as the Massachusetts Attorney General.
John Joseph Cavanaugh III is an American politician and lawyer from Nebraska. From 1977 until 1981,he served in the U.S. House of representatives from Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district,and is the only living former Democrat in the state to be elected to the House of Representatives.
Michael Joseph "Mike" Harrington is an American politician,lawyer and a former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.
In U.S. politics,an independent Democrat is an individual who loosely identifies with the ideals of the Democratic Party but chooses not to be a formal member of the party or is denied the Democratic nomination in a caucus or primary election. Independent Democrat is not a political party. Several elected officials,including members of Congress,have identified as independent Democrats.
David Ray Nagle is an American politician and lawyer from Iowa. He was a Representative in the United States House of Representatives,representing Iowa's 3rd congressional district from 1987 to 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Dennis Mark Hertel is an American politician and lawyer from Michigan. From 1981 to 1993,he served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Louis Arthur "Skip" Bafalis was an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 10th congressional district from 1973 to 1983. A member of the Republican Party,he was the party's nominee in the 1982 Florida gubernatorial election,and previously represented district 33 in the Florida Senate from 1966 to 1970.
Alexander Xavier Mooney is an American politician serving since 2015 as the U.S. representative from West Virginia's 2nd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party,he represented the 3rd district in the Maryland State Senate from 1999 to 2011 and is a former chair of the Maryland Republican Party. He is the first Hispanic person elected to Congress from West Virginia.
Troy Anthony Carter Sr. is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district since 2021. He was previously a member of the Louisiana State Senate for the 7th district. A member of the Democratic Party,Carter also previously served on the New Orleans City Council and as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He is currently the only Democrat in Louisiana's congressional delegation.
William Richard Keating is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 9th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party,he first entered Congress in 2011,representing Massachusetts's 10th congressional district until redistricting. Keating's district includes Cape Cod and most of the South Coast. He raised his profile advocating for criminal justice issues in both houses of the Massachusetts General Court from 1977 to 1999 before becoming district attorney of Norfolk County,where he served three terms before being elected to Congress.
Lori Ann Trahan is an American businesswoman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district since 2019. The district covers Boston's northwestern suburbs,and includes Lowell,Lawrence,Concord,and Trahan's hometown,Westford. A Democrat,she formerly served as chief of staff to Representative Marty Meehan in Massachusetts's 5th congressional district.
