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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