Women of the CBC: History

African-American Women in Congress: The Legacy

In 1969, Shirley A. Chisholm became the first African American woman to serve in Congress after her election to represent New York’s 12th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Chisholm (D-NY) was also a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Her tireless pursuit of equality, civil rights, and social justice laid the groundwork for the women who would serve alongside her and for those who would follow in her footsteps. Four years later, in 1973, Barbara Jordan became the first African American representative of Texas and the first Black woman to represent a southern state in Congress. Rep. Jordan (D-TX) went on to become an outspoken leader for the Democratic Party.

Since Reps. Chisholm and Jordan first served in the House of Representatives, many more trailblazing African American women have contributed to legislative history as both members of the House and the Senate. In total, 63 African American women have been elected or appointed to Congress, with many gaining enough seniority to chair committees and subcommittees as well as serve among Democratic Party and CBC leadership. After serving in Congress, some African American women have also gone on to hold leadership positions in presidential administrations including Sen. Kamala Harris who served as Vice President to President Joseph R. Biden and Rep. Marcia Fudge who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Biden Administration.

Despite these gains, only about 14 percent of women ever elected or appointed to Congress have been African American and only five African American women have served in the Senate.

The following list includes the Black Congresswomen who joined the Congressional Black Caucus and the year each was first seated in either the House or the Senate. For more information on these women, visit the Women of the CBC Bios page in this exhibit.

U.S. House of Representatives

1969: Shirley Chisholm (D-NY)

1973: Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (D-CA)

1973: Cardiss Collins (D-IL)

1973: Barbara Jordan (D-TX)

1982: Katie Hall (D-IN)

1991: Barbara-Rose Collins (D-MI)

1991: Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

1991: Maxine Waters (D-CA)

1992: Eva Clayton (D-NC)

1993: Corrine Brown (D-FL)

1993: Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)

1993: Cynthia McKinney (D-GA)

1993: Carrie Meek (D-FL)

1995: Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)

1996: Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA)

1997: Julia Carson (D-IN)

1997: Donna Christian-Christensen (D-VI)

1997: Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI)

1998: Barbara Lee (D-CA)

1999: Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH)

2001: Diane Watson (D-CA)

2003: Denise Majette (D-GA)

2005: Gwen Moore (D-WI)

2007: Yvette Clarke (D-NY)

2007: Laura Richardson (D-CA)

2008: Donna Edwards (D-MD)

2008: Marcia Fudge (D-OH)

2011: Karen Bass (D-CA)

2011: Terri Sewell (D-AL)

2011: Frederica Wilson (D-FL)

2013: Joyce Beatty (D-OH)

2013: Robin Kelly (D-IL)

2014: Alma Adams (D-NC)

2015: Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)

2015: Brenda Lawrence (D-MI)

2015: Stacey Plaskett (D-VI)

2017: Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)

2017: Val Demings (D-FL)

2018: Brenda Jones (D-MI)

2019: Jahana Hayes (D-CT)

2019: Lucy McBath (D-GA)

2019: Ilhan Omar (D-MN)

2019: Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

2019: Lauren Underwood (D-IL)

2021: Shontel Brown (D-OH)

2021: Cori Bush (D-MO)

2021: Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL)

2021: Marilyn Strickland (D-WA)

2021: Nikema Williams (D-GA)

2023: Jasmine Crockett (D-TX)

2023: Valerie Foushee (D-NC)

2023: Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA)

2023: Summer Lee (D-PA)

2023: Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH)

2023: Jennifer McClellan (D-VA)

2024: LaMonica McIver (D-NJ)

2024: Erica Lee Carter (D-TX)

2025: Janelle Bynum (D-OR)

2025: Lateefah Simon (D-CA)

U.S. Senate

1993: Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL)

2017: Kamala Harris (D-CA)

2023: Laphonza Butler (D-CA)

2025: Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD)

2025: Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) (First served in the House starting in 2017)