The 11 African Americans Who Have Served in the US Senate

Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress, filling a vacant Senate seat in 1870. Republican Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts said at the time: “All men are created equal, says the great Declaration and now a great act attests this verity. Today we make the Declaration a reality.” Revels was born free, had a college education, and served as a chaplain in the Civil War.

A slave who became a successful businessman, Blanche Kelso Bruce was the second Black American to serve in the U.S. Senate and the first to be elected to a full term. He focused on protecting the rights of freedmen and other minorities.

Edward W. Brooke’s election to the U.S. Senate in 1966 ended an 86-year absence of Black American senators. He served in a segregated military unit in World War II, reached the rank of captain, and won a Bronze Star and a Distinguished Service Award. He became a lawyer after the war.

Carol Moseley Braun was the first Black American woman senator and only the second Black senator since the Reconstruction Era. During her single term in office, she advocated for civil rights issues and for legislation on crime, education, and families.

Barack Obama was not only the first Black American senator, but the first Black president. He was elected as a senator for Illinois in November 2004. Four years later he was elected as the 44th president of the United States and was reelected in 2012.

Roland Burris was the first Black American to work as a national bank examiner for the Treasury Department and the first to win a statewide election in Illinois. After serving more than 10 years as comptroller, he became attorney general of Illinois. He was appointed to the Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Barack Obama.

William “Mo” Cowan was appointed to the Senate in February 2013 to replace John Kerry, who became secretary of state. Cowan served only until July 2013, as a successor was chosen in a special election.

Cory Booker became the first Black American to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate in October 2013. He won a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Frank Lautenberg. He was elected to a full term in November 2014 and reelected in November 2020.

In 2013, Tim Scott became the first Black American since Reconstruction to represent a Southern state – South Carolina – in the Senate. He was previously elected as a Republican to the 112th Congress and served one term in the House of Representatives before being appointed to the Senate.

Kamala Harris became the first Black American to represent California in the U.S. Senate in January 2017. She achieved several firsts in 2020, when she became the first woman and the first Black American and Asian American elected U.S. vice president, serving alongside President Joe Biden.

Raphael Warnock became the first Black American senator from Georgia in 2021. He won a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Johnny Isakson. The seat was previously held by appointed Sen. Kelly Loeffler.