Black Officials in Government
In the realm of United States political leadership, Black Americans have worked to make gains and legislative progress, continuously inhabiting governmental spaces to increase representation and work toward equality.
To highlight the work of these officials, below we are highlighting current Black political leaders within the legislative and executive branches of government who attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
House of Representatives:
- Alma Adams represents North Carolina’s 12th congressional district. She earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Art Education from North Carolina A&T State University.
- Joyce Beatty serves as the US Representative for Ohio’s third congressional district. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in speech from Central State University.
- Sanford Bishop is the US representative for Georgia’s 2nd congressional district. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College where he studied Political Science and English.
- G.K. Butterfield serves as the US Representative for North Carolina’s 1st congressional district. He is a two-time North Carolina Central University grad where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts and JD.
- Troy Carter serves as the US Representative for Louisiana’s 2nd congressional district. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from Xavier University of Louisiana.
- Emanuel Cleaver is now serving a ninth term representing Missour’s Fifth Congressional District. He graduated from Prairie View A&M University where he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Sociology.
- Jim Clyburn is a representative for South Carolina’s Sixth District. He graduated from South Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Arts in History.
- Danny K. Davis is the Illinois US Representative, elected in 1996. He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with a Bachelor of Arts in history before obtaining his Masters in guidance from Chicago State University.
- Byron Donalds currently represents Florida’s 19th congressional district. He attended Florida A&M University.
- Al Green has served in Congress as the Representative for Texas’s 9th congressional district since 2005. He has attended Florida A&M University, Tuskegee University, and Texas Southern University where he obtained his JD.
- Hank Johnson is the US Representative for Georgia’s fourth congressional district. He attended Clark Atlanta University for his undergraduate Bachelor of Art degree before going to Texas Southern University where he obtained his JD.
- Alfred James Lawson Jr. is a US Representative for Florida’s 5th congressional district. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida A&M University.
- Lucy McBath is the US Representative for Georgia’s 6th congressional district. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Virginia State University (BA).
- Gregory Meeks has served as a US Representative from New York since 1998. He obtained his JD from Howard University.
- Kweisi Mfume currently serves as the US Representative for Maryland’s 7th congressional district. He attended Morgan State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science before graduating magna cum laude.
- David Scott represents Georgia’s Thirteenth Congressional District. He graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts in Finance.
- Marilyn Strickland is the US Representative for Washingotn’s 10th congressional district. She obtained her Master’s in Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University.
- Bennie Thompson has served as the US Representative for Mississippi’s 2nd congressional district since 1993. He graduated from Tougaloo College with a bachelor’s of art in political science, then a Master of Science in educational administration from Jackson State University.
- Nikema Williams serves as the representative for Georgia’s 5th congressional district. She obtained her Bachelors of Arts in biology from Talladega College.
- Frederica Wilson represents Florida’s 24th congressional district. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Fisk University.
The Senate:
- Raphael Warnock serves as the junior US senator from Georgia. He attended Morehouse College where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in psychology.
The Executive Branch
- Kamala Harris attended Howard University where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics. Today she serves as President of the Senate and Vice President of the United States.
The Cabinet:
- Michael Stanley Regan currently serves under the Executive Branch of Government in the Cabinet as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He is the first black man to serve in the role, and he graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Science.
Source:
- https://www.house.gov/the-house-explained/branches-of-government
- https://www.oas.org/en/ser/dia/outreach/Programs/XLVIII-Roundtable%20Black%20History%20Month/Panelists%20Bios%20(Eng).pdf
- https://meeks.house.gov/about/biography
- https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/danny-k-davis-4023/
- https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/thompson-bennie-g-1948
- https://sc.edu/about/our_history/university_history/presidential_commission/commission_reports/final_report/appendices/appendix-3/clyburn-james-e/index.php
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/bishop-sanford-dixon-jr-1947/
- https://mfume.house.gov/about/bio
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/green-alexander-al-1947/
- https://www.smu.edu/Perkins/News/News_Archives/Archives_2015/Cleaver-at-Perkins-Chapel
- https://www.carolana.com/NC/Courts/gkbutterfield.html
- https://m.facebook.com/1906apanetwork/photos/a.10150199133610835/10157702248785835/?type=3
- https://www.gainformer.com/files/Hank%20Johnson%20Bio.htm
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/joyce-beatty-1950/
- https://connect.fisk.edu/frederica-wilson-bio
- http://www.hbculivinglegends.com/Alma-Adams.html
- https://troycarter.house.gov/
- https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/directory/nikema-williams/
- https://app.capitoltrades.com/politician/11708
- https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4636&LegislativeTermId=87
- https://vachamber.com/2019/05/13/congresswoman-lucy-mcbath-and-senator-jennifer-mcclellan-will-be-virginia-state-universitys-spring-commencement-speakers/
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/al-lawson-1948/
- https://morehouse.edu/about/founders-day/a-candle-in-the-dark-gala/raphael-warnock/
- https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2020/10/06/920350374/where-kamala-harris-studied-economics
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/michael-stanley-regan-sr-1976/
Pictures:
- Stacey Abrams, Spelman College: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/06/black-women-continue-to-be-the-democratic-partys-most-powerful-weapon.html
- Well-known political figures: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-narrow-path-for-black-politicians-who-want-to-be-president-and-how-its-changing/