Congressional Black Caucus Ushers In New Era With Record Membership And Historic Firsts

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent, The Seattle Medium

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) celebrated a historic milestone with its largest membership ever, as 62 Black lawmakers were sworn in ahead of the 119th United States Congress. Among them were groundbreaking figures, including two Black women Senators and two Black U.S. House members from Alabama serving simultaneously for the first time.

Democrats Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware made history as the first two Black women to serve together in the U.S. Senate. Their elections were met with enthusiasm and optimism, signaling progress in representation. “I am honored to serve the people of Maryland and am ready to get to work,” Alsobrooks shared, while Blunt Rochester expressed her excitement, saying, “Let’s get to work.” Both Senators took their oaths of office from Vice President Kamala Harris.

The CBC also celebrated the historic election of Shomari Figures, who joins incumbent Rep. Terri Sewell as Alabama’s two Black U.S. House members. Figures represent Alabama’s newly created 2nd Congressional District, which emerged following a landmark 2022 federal court ruling mandating a second “opportunity district” for Black voters. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2023, paving the way for greater representation in the state.

 

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