Historical Data
Women of Color in Congress
Since Representative Patsy Mink of Hawaii won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964, a total of 39 women of color have served in the U.S. Congress. Roughly three-quarters (30) of these women were elected after 1990. A total of 38 have served in the House; Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois served in the U.S. Senate (1993–1999). The first African-American woman to serve in Congress, Shirley Chisholm of New York, won election in 1968; 25 African-American women have followed her. The first Hispanic-American woman elected to Congress, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, entered the House in 1989; six other Hispanic-American women have followed her. In addition to Congresswoman Mink, four other Asian-Pacific-American women have served in Congress.
Name | Party/State | Dates of Service | Ethnicity |
---|---|---|---|
Patsy Mink | D-HI | 1965–1977; 1990–2002 | Asian-Pacific American |
Shirley Chisholm | D-NY | 1969–1983 | African American |
Yvonne Burke | D-CA | 1973–1979 | African American |
Barbara Jordan | D-TX | 1973–1979 | African American |
Cardiss Collins | D-IL | 1973–1997 | African American |
Katie Hall | D-IN | 1982–1985 | African American |
Patricia Saiki | R-HI | 1987–1991 | Asian-Pacific American |
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen | R-FL | 1989–present | Hispanic American |
Barbara-Rose Collins | D-MI | 1991–1997 | African American |
Eleanor Holmes Norton | D-DC | 1991–present | African American |
Maxine Waters | D-CA | 1991–present | African American |
Carol Moseley Braun | D-IL | 1993–1999 | African American |
Corrine Brown | D-FL | 1993–present | African American |
Eva Clayton | D-NC | 1993–2003 | African American |
Eddie Bernice Johnson | D-TX | 1993–present | African American |
Cynthia McKinney | D-GA | 1993–2003; 2005– 2007 | African American |
Carrie Meek | D-FL | 1993–2003 | African American |
Lucille Roybal-Allard | D-CA | 1993–present | Hispanic American |
Nydia Velázquez | D-NY | 1993–present | Hispanic American |
Sheila Jackson Lee | D-TX | 1995–present | African American |
Juanita Millender-McDonald | D-CA | 1995–2007 | African American |
Julia Carson | D-IN | 1997–2007 | African American |
Donna M. Christensen | D-VI | 1997–present | African American |
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick | D-MI | 1997–present | African American |
Barbara Lee | D-CA | 1997–present | African American |
Loretta Sanchez | D-CA | 1997–present | Hispanic American |
Stephanie Tubbs Jones | D-OH | 1999–2008 | African American |
Grace Napolitano | D-CA | 1999–present | Hispanic American |
Hilda Solis | D-CA | 2001–2009 | Hispanic American |
Diane Watson | D-CA | 2001–present | African American |
Denise Majette | D-GA | 2003–2005 | African American |
Linda Sánchez | D-CA | 2003–present | Hispanic American |
Gwendolynne Moore | D-WI | 2005–present | African American |
Doris Matsui | D-CA | 2005–present | Asian-Pacific American |
Yvette Clarke | D-NY | 2007–present | African American |
Mazie K. Hirono | D-HI | 2007–present | Asian-Pacific American |
Laura Richardson | D-CA | 2007–present | African American |
Donna F. Edwards | D-MD | 2008–present | African American |
Marcia L. Fudge | D-OH | 2008–present | African American |
Judy Chu | D-CA | 2009–present | Asian-Pacific American |