Congressional Black Caucus Marks Historic Firsts as Its Membership Hits Record

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With a record 62 elected Black officials, including historic firsts of two women senators and two representatives from Alabama, the Congressional Black Caucus held a swearing-in ceremony Friday morning before members took the oath of office for the 119th U.S. Congress.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus raise their right hands as they are being sworn in by New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

Two Democratic Virginia congressional representatives are members of the Legislative Black Caucus: Newport News-based U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, who has served in the group since 1993; and Richmond-based U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, who has been a member since 2023.

Democrats Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware will represent the first time two Black women will serve together in the U.S. Senate.

The caucus also marked the historic election of two Black U.S. House members from Alabama serving at the same time. Incumbent Rep. Terri Sewell has been joined by Shomari Figures, who was elected in November to represent the new 2nd Congressional District.  Following a lawsuit, a federal court ordered the state in 2022 to draw a second “opportunity district” to provide a chance for Black voters to select their preferred candidate. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling in 2023.

Sewell, a Democrat, recalled how the caucus was first established in 1971 with 13 members – 12 men and one woman. Today, a total of 67 Black lawmakers serve in Congress, the largest contingent ever on Capitol Hill.

But the five Republicans – Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida, Wesley Hunt of Texas, John James of Michigan and Burgess Owens of Utah – are not members of the Congressional Black Caucus and didn’t attend the ceremony. All are ardent supporters of Republican President-elect Donald Trump. With the GOP in control of the House and Senate, they have stated their support for Trump’s future policies and even a few of his controversial statements.

Although the Black caucus isn’t tied to a political party, the Democratic members said they will continue to challenge legislation they deem will negatively affect Black Americans.

“Today, we renew our pledge to fight racism where it exists, to weed out inequities in health care, the criminal justice system, education, voter access, and so many rights and benefits that are part and parcel of what it means to be Americans,” said Sewell, who serves as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s board of directors. “We, in the Congressional Black Caucus, stand ready for the task ahead.”

Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Maryland Democrat, said he’s concerned about the Trump administration or his appointees using the U.S. Justice Department to get back at people they think are enemies. “That’s not the role of the Department of Justice,” he said. “Protecting the rule of law is what we’ve got to make sure happens now and going forward.”

Ivey said that one way to combat Trump and his congressional allies is looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections.

“I can remember back a few years ago where the Republicans controlled the White House, the Senate and the House. A few years after that, [then U.S. Sen.] Barack Obama got elected president, and we took back control of the Senate and the House,” Ivey said after the ceremony. “So a setback is a set up for a comeback. We’re ready to come back.”

Hundreds of family members, friends and supporters attended the ceremony at The Anthem including Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.

Morial said in an interview just because Trump will be president doesn’t mean the caucus stops its advocacy work.

“They should say to the president, ‘if you want to meet us halfway on important priorities like voting rights, elimination of poverty, we will not say no,’” Morial said. “But if your plan is to administer solely to your MAGA base, we will lead the resistance.”

by William J. Ford, Virginia Mercury

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