RaceProject.org

Resources

The links listed below will take you to Internet sites that are related and useful to the study of politics, race and political communication.

Political and Governmental Resources

Black Members of the United States Congress, 1870-2007.

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

Ethnic Majority

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Mildred L. Amer has prepared a report for the Congressional Research Service entitled Black Members of the United States Congress, 1870-2007.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the racial minority members of the 109th Congress are as follows:

Black Members. A record number (43) of black Members are serving, 42 in the House, one in the Senate. All are Democrats, including two Delegates. Fourteen black women serve in the House, including the two Delegates. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) is the first male, black Democrat to serve in the Senate.

Hispanic Members. The 29 Hispanic Members of the 109th Congress are the largest number ever to have served in a single Congress.12 Twenty-six serve in the House and two in the Senate. Of the Members of the House, 21 are Democrats, six are Republicans (including the Resident Commissioner), and seven are women. Both Hispanic Senators are men, one Republican and one Democrat. There are two sets of Hispanic Members who are brothers, and one set who are sisters. Mario and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Republicans from Florida, serve in the House. Ken Salazar (D-CO) serves in the Senate, and his brother, John Salazar (D-CO), serves in the House. Linda and Loretta Sanchez, Democrats from California, serve in the House.

Asian Pacific Americans. Eight Members are of Asian or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander heritage. Six serve in the House, five Democrats (including a Delegate) and one Republican. Two, both Democrats, serve in the Senate. Of those serving in the House, one is a Delegate, one is African American with Filipino heritage, and one is Indian American (Asian).

American Indians. There is one American Indian (Native American) Member of the 109th Congress, who is a Republican Member of the House.

Congressional Research Service. 2005. Membership of the 109th Congress: A Profile. Accessed online (August 24, 2005) at: http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RS22007.pdf

A list of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, along with links to their websites, can be found on its website.

A list of the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, along with links to their websites, can be found on its website.

Representative Mike Honda maintains the website for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus website.

The non-profit group Ethnic Majority maintains a website that, among other things, provides links to all African American, Hispanic, and Asian American members of Congress.