List of African-American statewide elected officials explained
This is a list of African Americans who have served in statewide elected executive offices in the United States, whether they were elected, succeeded or appointed to such elected office. These state constitutional officers have their duties and qualifications mandated in state constitutions. This list includes those directly elected to state constitutional boards and commissions, whether statewide or by district. This list does not include those elected to serve in non-executive branches of government, such as justices of the state supreme courts or at-large members of the state legislatures. This list also excludes federal legislators, such as the two members of the United States Senate elected from each state or at-large members of the United States House of Representatives.
Summary
!State!Number of statewide executive officials!U.S. Senators!U.S. at-large Representatives!Total!Notes| Arizona | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Arkansas | 1 | | | 1 | |
| California | 5 | 1 | | 5 | Kamala Harris held office as Attorney General and later as U.S. Senator |
| Colorado | 3 | | | 3 | |
| Connecticut | 5 | | | 5 | |
| Delaware | 2 | | 1 | 3 | |
| Florida | 4 | | 1 | 5 | Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs held office as Secretary of State and State Superintendent. |
| Georgia | 3 | 1 | | 4 | |
| Illinois | 4 | 3 | | 6 | Roland Burris held office as Comptroller, Attorney General and U.S. Senator |
| Indiana | 4 | | | 4 | |
| Kansas | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Kentucky | 2 | | | 2 | |
| Louisiana | 5 | | | 5 | |
| Maryland | 4 | | | 4 | |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 2 | | 4 | Edward Brooke held office as Attorney General and U.S. Senator |
| Michigan | 3 | | | 3 | |
| Minnesota | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Mississippi | 7 | 2 | | 9 | All of Mississippi's African American statewide officials and Senators took office during Reconstruction, as of 2022. |
| Nevada | 1 | | | 1 | |
| New Jersey | 8 | | | 8 | |
| New Mexico | 1 | | | 1 | |
| New York | 9 | | | 9 | |
| North Carolina | 3 | | | 3 | |
| Ohio | 3 | | | 3 | |
| Oklahoma | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Oregon | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | | | 1 | |
| South Carolina | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Francis Lewis Cardozo held office as Secretary of State and State Treasurer. |
| Texas | 2 | | | 2 | |
| Vermont | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Virginia | 3 | | | 3 | |
| Wisconsin | 3 | | | 3 | | |
Governors
- Italics denotes acting governor
Territorial governors
- Italics denotes acting governor
Lieutenant governors
- Italics denotes acting lieutenant governor
Attorneys general
- Italics denotes acting attorney general
Territorial attorneys general
- Italics denotes acting attorney general
Secretaries of state
- Italics denotes acting secretary of state
Labor commissioners
- Italics denotes acting labor commissioner
| Picture | Name | Party | State | Term start | Term end | Notes | Ref |
|---|
|
| | Democratic | Georgia | 1990 | 1992 | Appointed by governor, lost special election primary | |
|
| | Democratic | Georgia | | | Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate | | |
Auditors and comptrollers
- Italics denotes acting auditor or comptroller
Superintendents of education
- Italics denotes acting superintendent
Treasurers
- Italics denotes acting treasurer
Public utilities or railroad commissioners
- Italics denotes acting public utilities or railroad commissioner
Elected State Boards of Education
See also
Notes and References
- Previously served as lieutenant governor.
- Later served as U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 2nd congressional district.
- Web site: Not Even Past: Social Vulnerability and the Legacy of Redlining.
- Later served as U.S. Representative from California's 31st congressional district.
- Later served as Chair of the Republican National Committee.
- Web site: The Honorable Edward Brooke's Biography. The HistoryMakers. en. 2019-02-03.
- Web site: BURRIS, Roland US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. history.house.gov. en. 2019-02-03.
- http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=Thurbert+Baker+1952&btnG=Search+Books#sclient=psy&hl=en&tbs=bks:1&q=Carter+was+born+Pamela+Lynn+Fanning+on+August+20%2C+1949&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&fp=cc7216a82c53364 Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 67, p. 12.
- https://books.google.com/books?id=f20v23TpqUQC&q=Pamela+Carter+attorney+1959 Jennifer M. York, Who's Who Among African Americans.
- Web site: Thurbert Baker's Biography. The HistoryMakers. en. 2019-02-03.
- Web site: Our Campaigns - Candidate - Karen M. Freeman-Wilson.
- Web site: The Honorable Peter C. Harvey, '79. www.alumni.morgan.edu. en. 2019-02-03.
- Web site: 13 Trailblazing Facts About Kamala Harris. 2019-01-23. mentalfloss.com. en. 2019-02-03.
- News: Curtis Hill Named Vice Chair of GOP Attorneys General Assoc.. Walker. Kayla. November 13, 2018. Nuvo. February 4, 2019.
- News: N.Y.'s New Attorney General Is Targeting Trump. Will Judges See a 'Political Vendetta?'. Mays. Jeffery C.. December 31, 2018. The New York Times. 2019-02-03. en-US. 0362-4331.
- News: Illinois Attorney General Democratic nominee: Kwame Raoul. October 14, 2018. Chicago Sun-Times. February 4, 2019.
- News: Aaron Ford setting priorities for his time as Nevada attorney general. Lockhead. Colton. November 14, 2018. Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 4, 2019.
- News: Keith Ellison ushers in new era for Minnesota Attorney General's Office. Montemayor. Stephen. January 7, 2019. Star Tribune. February 4, 2019.
- Web site: MSU Libraries: Richard H. Austin.
- Web site: Basil Paterson dead, trailblazing NY politician and former Gov. David Paterson's father was 87 . Newsday . 2010-11-02 . 2014-04-17.
- News: Pioneering civil rights leader Vel Phillips dies. April 17, 2018 . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. April 17, 2018.
- Web site: Myra McDaniel. The HistoryMakers. February 20, 2017.
- Web site: Victoria Buckley; Colorado Secretary of State, GOP Star . The Los Angeles Times. July 17, 1999. February 8, 2019.
- Web site: Loren Monroe, first black State Treasurer of Michigan, dead at 87. June 4, 2019.
