Black U.S. House members, 1965-2021
Number of U.S. representatives who are Black
Source: The Brookings Institution’s “Vital Statistics on Congress” and U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery
Note: Shows the number of Black representatives at the outset of each term of Congress. The data does not include nonvoting delegates or commissioners.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Black U.S. House members, 1965-2021
Number of U.S. representatives who are Black
| Date | Number of U.S. representatives who are Black |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 5 |
| 1967 | 5 |
| 1969 | 9 |
| 1971 | 13 |
| 1973 | 16 |
| 1975 | 16 |
| 1977 | 15 |
| 1979 | 15 |
| 1981 | 17 |
| 1983 | 20 |
| 1985 | 20 |
| 1987 | 22 |
| 1989 | 23 |
| 1991 | 26 |
| 1993 | 39 |
| 1995 | 39 |
| 1997 | 37 |
| 1999 | 37 |
| 2001 | 36 |
| 2003 | 37 |
| 2005 | 40 |
| 2007 | 40 |
| 2009 | 39 |
| 2011 | 42 |
| 2013 | 41 |
| 2015 | 44 |
| 2017 | 47 |
| 2019 | 53 |
| 2021 | 57 |
Source: The Brookings Institution’s “Vital Statistics on Congress” and U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery
Note: Shows the number of Black representatives at the outset of each term of Congress. The data does not include nonvoting delegates or commissioners.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
