Laura and Holly
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Created by the The Great Compromise, the Congress is split into the House of Representatives and the Senate. This was meant to ensure a balance of power between population and power, but it did not account for racial injustice. For example if the Senate were fully equal and representative of the American population, there would be roughly fifteen percent of African American Senators. The reality is that there have been a total of five black United States Senators.
The first of these five is Hiram Revels elected in 1870, during Reconstruction. With the combination of the Reconstruction Act and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments the South had a majority of black voters for the first time. This reflected in their politics. During the nineteenth century, there were two African American United States Senators: Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce. "Although his accomplishments as a black political leader were limited, Revels ably blazed a trail others might follow."( Gale group) Along that trail was Blanche K. Bruce, a Republican who served in the Senate, elected in 1874. He went on to become the register of the Treasury twice, and died on March 17, 1898. Since Reconstruction there have only been three black Senators. These are Ed Brooke from Massachusetts, Carol Mosely Braun from Illinois and Barack Obama, also from Illinois. Ed Brooke served two years in Congress starting in 1966, representing Massachusetts. He served in the military, and passed his bar exam (for Boston University Law School) in 1949. His most ambitious political move was in 1962 when he ran for Attorney General. He stated once that, my grandmother used to say--"Stay in your place." This advice was given to protect me from injury, because if you didn't follow this advice, you knew what would happen. But this was a statement I never could accept. Your place is anywhere you want to make it." That philosophy served him well and helped him make America a better nation. ,"He was the only Republican elected statewide that year, and he was the first black American to be elected to a major state office." Brooke was an important member of the Senate and made some important contributions to the pursuit of civil rights. Carol Mosely Braun was elected to the Congress in 1992, and is the only black woman to have ever served as a US Senator. She had hopes of running for president, but her campaign did not succeed. Despite her inability to win the election, she allowed Barack Obama to come as far as he has, and may have helped become the favored candidate of the current (2008) elections. Barack Obama has emerged this year as one the most prominent candidates for the presidential election. As the son of a Kenyan, he has dealt with the issue of race throughout his life. His candidacy has spurred mass support and excitment. Ben Wallace-Wells from the Rolling Stone said, "No candidate since Robert F. Kennedy has sparked as much campaign-trail heat as Barack Obama." This intense support has lead to the creation of inspirational videos by multiple artists, drawn the support of both Senater Edward, and Caroline Kennedy, and will potentially lead to the election of a black man as president. His supporters are attracted to his message of hope, his eloquence, and his policies. Critics tend to point to his inexperience. His candidacy is closely observed by many groups and supporters. If Barack Obama were to be elected President, it would not by any means create an end to the racial injustice in the country, or simply the Senate, but it would be a step forward into greater nationwide tolerance. Suggested Resources for biographies on these politcians: Recommended Articles: Biography Resource Center by Galegroup, Infotrac "Edward W. Brooke." Notable Black American Men. Gale Research, 1998. "Hiram Rhoades Revels." Notable Black American Men. Gale Research, 1998. |
