List of African-American statewide elected officials

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

Denotes incumbent governor

Italics denotes acting governor

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes
Oscar Dunn (1826–1871)	Republican	Louisiana	June 27, 1868	November 22, 1871	Elevated from lieutenant governor. Died in office.
P. B. S. Pinchback (1837–1921)	Republican	Louisiana	December 9, 1872	January 13, 1873	Elevated from lieutenant governor. Term ended.
Douglas Wilder^[1] (born 1931)	Democratic	Virginia	January 13, 1990	January 15, 1994	Term-limited.
Deval Patrick (born 1956)	Democratic	Massachusetts	January 4, 2007	January 8, 2015	Retired
David Paterson (born 1954)	Democratic	New York	March 17, 2008	December 31, 2010	Elevated to office from lieutenant governor. Retired.
Wes Moore (born 1978)	Democrat	Maryland	January 18, 2023	present

Territorial governors

Denotes incumbent governor

Italics denotes acting governor

Name	Party	Territory	Term start	Term end	Notes
Walter Washington (1915–2003)	Democratic	District of Columbia	November 7, 1967	January 2, 1979	Appointed as Mayor-Commissioner before being elected in his own right Lost renomination
Marion Barry (1936–2014)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 1979	January 2, 1991	Retired
Marion Barry (1936–2014)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 1995	January 2, 1999	Retired
Sharon Pratt (born 1944)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 1991	January 2, 1995	Lost renomination
Anthony A. Williams (born 1951)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 1999	January 2, 2007	Retired
Adrian Fenty (born 1970)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 2007	January 2, 2011	Lost renomination
Vincent C. Gray (born 1942)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 2011	January 2, 2015	Lost renomination
Muriel Bowser (born 1972)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 2015	present

Lieutenant governors

Denotes incumbent lieutenant governor

Italics denotes acting lieutenant governor

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes
Oscar Dunn (1826–1871)	Republican	Louisiana	June 27, 1868	November 22, 1871	Died
Alonzo J. Ransier^[2] (1834–1882)	Republican	South Carolina	December 3, 1870	December 7, 1872	Retired to run successfully for South Carolina's 2nd congressional district
Alexander K. Davis^[3]	Republican	Mississippi	November 30, 1871	March 29, 1876	Retired
P. B. S. Pinchback (1837–1921)	Republican	Louisiana	December 6, 1871	December 9, 1872	Elevated to governor
Richard Howell Gleaves (1819–1907)	Republican	South Carolina	December 7, 1872	December 14, 1876	Lost reelection
Caesar Antoine (1836–1921)	Republican	Louisiana	May 22, 1873	April 24, 1877	Lost reelection
Mervyn Dymally^[4] (1926–2012)	Democratic	California	January 6, 1975	January 8, 1979	Lost reelection
George L. Brown (1926–2006)	Democratic	Colorado	January 14, 1975	January 10, 1979	Retired
Douglas Wilder (born 1931)	Democratic	Virginia	January 18, 1986	January 12, 1990	Retired to run successfully for governor
Joe Rogers (1964–2013)	Republican	Colorado	January 12, 1999	January 14, 2003	Retired
Jennette Bradley (born 1952)	Republican	Ohio	January 13, 2003	January 5, 2005	Resigned to become Ohio Treasurer
Michael Steele^[5] (born 1958)	Republican	Maryland	January 15, 2003	January 17, 2007	Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator of Maryland
David Paterson (born 1954)	Democratic	New York	January 1, 2007	March 17, 2008	Elevated to governor
Anthony Brown (born 1961)	Democratic	Maryland	January 17, 2007	January 21, 2015	Retired to run unsuccessfully for governor
Malcolm Smith (born 1956)	Democratic	New York	January 7, 2009	June 8, 2009	Resigned
Jennifer Carroll (born 1959)	Republican	Florida	January 4, 2011	March 12, 2013	Resigned
Boyd Rutherford (born 1957)	Republican	Maryland	January 21, 2015	January 18, 2023	Retired
Jenean Hampton (born 1958)	Republican	Kentucky	December 8, 2015	December 9, 2019	Retired
Justin Fairfax (born 1979)	Democratic	Virginia	January 13, 2018	January 15, 2022	Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for governor
Sheila Oliver (1952-2023)	Democratic	New Jersey	January 16, 2018	August 1, 2023	Died
Garlin Gilchrist (born 1982)	Democratic	Michigan	January 1, 2019	present
Mandela Barnes (born 1986)	Democratic	Wisconsin	January 7, 2019	January 3, 2023	Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. senator
Juliana Stratton (born 1965)	Democratic	Illinois	January 14, 2019	present
Mark Robinson (born 1968)	Republican	North Carolina	January 9, 2021	present
Andrea Stewart-Cousins (born 1950)	Democratic	New York	August 24, 2021	September 9, 2021	New Lieutenant Governor appointed
Andrea Stewart-Cousins (born 1950)	Democratic	New York	April 12, 2022	May 25, 2022	New Lieutenant Governor appointed
Brian Benjamin (born 1976)	Democratic	New York	September 9, 2021	April 12, 2022	Resigned
Winsome Sears (born 1964)	Republican	Virginia	January 15, 2022	present
Antonio Delgado (born 1977)	Democratic	New York	May 25, 2022	present
Austin Davis (born 1989)	Democratic	Pennsylvania	January 17, 2023	present
Tahesha Way (born 1971)	Democratic	New Jersey	September 8, 2023	present

Attorneys general

Denotes incumbent attorney general

Italics denotes acting attorney general

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes	Ref
Edward Brooke (1919–2015)	Republican	Massachusetts	January 3, 1963	January 3, 1967	Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts	^[6]
Roland Burris (1937–present)	Democratic	Illinois	January 14, 1991	January 9, 1995	Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor of Illinois	^[7]
Pamela Carter (1949–present)	Democratic	Indiana	January 13, 1993	January 16, 1997	Retired	^[8]^[9]
Thurbert Baker (1952–present)	Democratic	Georgia	June 1, 1997	January 10, 2011	Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor of Georgia	^[10]
Karen Freeman-Wilson (1960–present)	Democratic	Indiana	June 8, 2000	January 14, 2001	Lost reelection	^[11]
Peter C. Harvey (1952–present)	Democratic	New Jersey	June 16, 2003	January 30, 2006	Retired.	^[12]
Kamala Harris (1964–present)	Democratic	California	January 3, 2011	January 3, 2017	Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senate from California	^[13]
Curtis Hill (1960–present)	Republican	Indiana	January 9, 2017	January 11, 2021	Lost renomination	^[14]
Letitia James (1958–present)	Democratic	New York	January 1, 2019	present		^[15]
Kwame Raoul (1964–present)	Democratic	Illinois	January 14, 2019	present		^[16]
Aaron D. Ford (1972–present)	Democratic	Nevada	January 7, 2019	present		^[17]
Keith Ellison (1963–present)	Democratic	Minnesota	January 7, 2019	present		^[18]
Daniel Cameron (1985–present)	Republican	Kentucky	December 17, 2019	present	Elected as Attorney General, but appointed early as acting Attorney by Governor Andy Beshear, the preceding state Attorney General who himself was elected Governor, and took office early.
Anthony Brown (1961–present)	Democrat	Maryland	January 3, 2023	present	Elected as Attorney General on November 8, 2022. Brown is the first black Attorney General of Maryland.
Andrea Campbell (1982–present)	Democrat	Massachusetts	January 18, 2023	present

Territorial attorneys general

Denotes incumbent attorney general

Italics denotes acting attorney general

Picture	Name	Party	Territory	Term start	Term end	Notes	Ref
	Karl Racine (1963–present)	Democratic	District of Columbia	January 2, 2015	January 2, 2023

Secretaries of state

Denotes incumbent secretary of state

Italics denotes acting secretary of state

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes	Ref
Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs (1821–1874)	Republican	Florida	1868	1872	Appointed Superintendent of Public Instruction
Pierre G. Deslonde	Republican	Louisiana	1872	1876	Retired
James D. Lynch (1839–1872)	Republican	Mississippi	1869	1872	Retired
Hiram Rhodes Revels (1827–1901)	Republican	Mississippi	1872	1873	Retired
Hannibal C. Carter	Republican	Mississippi	1873	1873	Retired
M. M. McLeod	Republican	Mississippi	1873	1873	Retired
James Hill	Republican	Mississippi	1874	1878	Retired
Francis Lewis Cardozo (1836–1903)	Republican	South Carolina	1868	1872	Elected State Treasurer
Henry Hayne (1840–???)	Republican	South Carolina	1872	1877	Resigned
Richard Austin (1913–2001)	Democratic	Michigan	January 1, 1971	January 1, 1995	Lost re-election	^[19]
Basil Paterson (1926–2014)	Democratic	New York	January 1, 1979	January 1, 1983	Retired	^[20]
Jesse McCrary (1937–2007)	Democratic	Florida	July 19, 1978	January 2, 1979	Retired
Vel Phillips (1923–2018)	Democratic	Wisconsin	January 3, 1979	January 3, 1983	Lost re-nomination	^[21]
Myra McDaniel (1932–2010)	Democratic	Texas	August 6, 1984	January 26, 1987	Retired	^[22]
Hannah Atkins (1923–2010)	Democratic	Oklahoma	1987	1991	Retired
Vikki Buckley (1948–1999)	Republican	Colorado	1994	1999	Died	^[23]
Lonna Hooks (?–)	Republican	New Jersey	1994	1998	Retired
DeForest Soaries (born 1951)	Republican	New Jersey	January 1, 1999	January 1, 2002	Retired
Ken Blackwell (born 1948)	Republican	Ohio	January 8, 1999	January 8, 2007	Retired to run unsuccessfully for governor
Jesse White (born 1934)	Democratic	Illinois	January 11, 1999	January 9, 2023	Retired
Randy Daniels (born 1950)	Democratic	New York	2001	2005	Retired
Regena Thomas (1957–)	Democratic	New Jersey	2002	2006	Retired
Nina Mitchell Wells (born 1950)	Democratic	New Jersey	January 19, 2006	January 19, 2010	Retired
Robyn Crittenden (?–?)	Republican	Georgia	November 8, 2018	January 14, 2019	Appointed by governor to fill predecessor's remaining term, retired
Tahesha Way (born 1971)	Democratic	New Jersey	January 16, 2018	present
Shirley Weber (born 1948)	Democratic	California	January 21, 2021	present
Stephanie Thomas (born 1969)	Democratic	Connecticut	January 4, 2023	present

Labor commissioners

Denotes incumbent labor commissioner

Italics denotes acting labor commissioner

Picture	Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes	Ref
	Al Scott (born 1947)	Democratic	Georgia	1990	1992	Appointed by governor, lost special election primary
	Mike Thurmond (born 1953)	Democratic	Georgia	January 11, 1999	January 10, 2011	Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate

Auditors and comptrollers

Denotes incumbent auditor or comptroller

Italics denotes acting auditor or comptroller

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes
Edward McCabe (1850–1920)	Republican	Kansas	January 8, 1883	January 10, 1887	Lost re-nomination
Roland Burris (born 1937)	Democratic	Illinois	January 8, 1979	January 14, 1991	Retired to run successfully for Attorney General of Illinois
Carl McCall (born 1935)	Democratic	New York	May 7, 1993	December 31, 2002	Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor
Ralph Campbell (1946–2011)	Democratic	North Carolina	January 3, 1993	January 4, 2005	Lost re-election
Randy Brock (born 1943)	Republican	Vermont	January 3, 2005	January 4, 2007	Lost reelection
Dwayne Sawyer (born 1966)	Republican	Indiana	August 19, 2013	December 15, 2013	Resigned
Natalie Braswell	Democratic	Connecticut	December 31, 2021	January 4, 2023	Appointed to office; did not seek election
Timothy DeFoor (born 1961)	Republican	Pennsylvania	January 19, 2022	present
Brian J. Gaines	Democratic	South Carolina	May 12, 2023	present

Superintendents of education

Denotes incumbent superintendent

Italics denotes acting superintendent

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes
William G. Brown (1832–1883)	Republican	Louisiana	1872	1876	Lost reelection
Thomas Cardozo (1838–1881)	Republican	Mississippi	1873	1875	Lost reelection
Joseph Corbin (1833–1911)	Republican	Arkansas	1873	1875	Lost reelection
Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs (1821–1874)	Republican	Florida	1872	1874	Died
Wilson Riles (1917–1999)	Democratic	California	1971	1983	Lost reelection
Doug Jamerson (1947–2001)	Democratic	Florida	1994	1995	Lost election
Patricia Willoughby (?–present)	Democratic	North Carolina	September 1, 2004	August 23, 2005	Retired
Carolyn Stanford Taylor (born 1957)	Democratic	Wisconsin	January 7, 2019	July 5, 2021	Retired
Tony Thurmond (born 1968)	Democratic	California	January 7, 2019	present

Treasurers

Denotes incumbent treasurer

Italics denotes acting treasurer

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes
Antoine Dubuclet (1810–1887)	Republican	Louisiana	1868	1878	Retired
Francis Lewis Cardozo (1836–1903)	Republican	South Carolina	August 1, 1872	May 1, 1877	Retired
Gerald Lamb (1924–2014)	Democratic	Connecticut	1963	1970	Resigned
Henry E. Parker (1928–2018)	Democratic	Connecticut	1974	1986	Resigned
Loren E. Monroe (1932–2019)^[24]	Republican	Michigan	1978	1982	Retired
James B. Lewis (born 1947)	Democratic	New Mexico	1985	1990	Retired
James B. Lewis (born 1947)	Democratic	New Mexico	2007	2015	Retired
Francisco Borges (born 1951)	Democratic	Connecticut	January 4, 1987	March 1, 1993	Resigned
Jim Hill (born 1947)	Democratic	Oregon	January 1, 1993	January 1, 2001	Retired
Joseph M. Suggs Jr. (born 1940)	Democratic	Connecticut	March 3, 1993	January 4, 1995	Lost election
Richard Dixon (1938–2012)	Democratic	Maryland	1996	2002	Retired
Denise Nappier (born 1951)	Democratic	Connecticut	January 3, 1999	January 9, 2019	Retired
Jennette Bradley (born 1952)	Republican	Ohio	January 13, 2005	January 5, 2007	Lost renomination
Michellene Davis (born 1971)	Democratic	New Jersey	September 2007	January 2008	Acting
Velda Jones-Potter (?–present)	Democratic	Delaware	January 1, 2009	January 1, 2011	Lost renomination
Kevin Boyce (born 1971)	Democratic	Ohio	January 7, 2009	January 9, 2011	Lost reelection
Chip Flowers (born 1974)	Democratic	Delaware	January 1, 2011	January 1, 2015	Retired
Shawn Wooden (born 1970)	Democratic	Connecticut	January 3, 2019	January 4, 2023	Retired
Erick Russell	Democratic	Connecticut	January 4, 2023	present	Incumbent

Public utilities or railroad commissioners

Denotes incumbent statewide public utilities or railroad commissioner

Italics denotes acting public utilities or railroad commissioner

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end	Notes
Irma Muse Dixon (born 1952)	Democratic	Louisiana	1992	2004
David Burgess (born 1959)	Democratic	Georgia	1998	January 1, 2007	Appointed to office and won subsequent election; lost bid for re-election
Michael L. Williams (born 1953)	Republican	Texas	January 3, 1999	March 31, 2011	Resigned
Lambert Boissiere (born 1965)	Democratic	Louisiana	January 1, 2005	January 1, 2023	Lost re-election
Sandra Kennedy	Democratic	Arizona	January 5, 2009	January 7, 2013	Lost re-election
Sandra Kennedy	Democratic	Arizona	January 7, 2019	January 2, 2023	Lost re-election
Fitz Johnson (born 1963)	Republican	Georgia	2021	present	Appointed to office
Davante Lewis	Democratic	Louisiana	2023	present

Elected State Boards of Education

Name	Party	State	Term start	Term end
Alma Allen	Democratic	Texas	1995	2005
Lawrence Allen Jr. (born 1959)	Democratic	Texas	2005	2023
Aicha Davis	Democratic	Texas	2019	present
Staci Childs	Democratic	Texas	2023	present
LJ Francis	Republican	Texas	2023	present

References

^ Previously served as lieutenant governor.
^ Later served as U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 2nd congressional district.
^ "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.
^ "The Honorable Edward Brooke's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
^ "BURRIS , Roland | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
^ Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 67, p. 12.
^ Jennifer M. York, Who's Who Among African Americans. Gale, 2003.
^ "Thurbert Baker's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Karen M. Freeman-Wilson".
^ "The Honorable Peter C. Harvey, '79". www.alumni.morgan.edu. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
^ "13 Trailblazing Facts About Kamala Harris". mentalfloss.com. 2019-01-23. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
^ Walker, Kayla (November 13, 2018). "Curtis Hill Named Vice Chair of GOP Attorneys General Assoc". Nuvo. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ Mays, Jeffery C. (December 31, 2018). "N.Y.'s New Attorney General Is Targeting Trump. Will Judges See a 'Political Vendetta?'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
^ "Illinois Attorney General Democratic nominee: Kwame Raoul". Chicago Sun-Times. October 14, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ Lockhead, Colton (November 14, 2018). "Aaron Ford setting priorities for his time as Nevada attorney general". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ Montemayor, Stephen (January 7, 2019). "Keith Ellison ushers in new era for Minnesota Attorney General's Office". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
^ "MSU Libraries: Richard H. Austin".
^ "Basil Paterson dead, trailblazing NY politician and former Gov. David Paterson's father was 87". Newsday. 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
^ "Pioneering civil rights leader Vel Phillips dies". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
^ "Myra McDaniel". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
^ "Victoria Buckley; Colorado Secretary of State, GOP Star". The Los Angeles Times. July 17, 1999. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
^ "Loren Monroe, first black State Treasurer of Michigan, dead at 87". June 4, 2019.

[1] Previously served as lieutenant governor.

[2] Later served as U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 2nd congressional district.

[3] "Not Even Past: Social Vulnerability and the Legacy of Redlining".

[4] Later served as U.S. Representative from California's 31st congressional district.

[5] Later served as Chair of the Republican National Committee.

[6] "The Honorable Edward Brooke's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2019-02-03.

[7] "BURRIS , Roland | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-03.

[8] Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 67, p. 12.

[9] Jennifer M. York, Who's Who Among African Americans. Gale, 2003.

[10] "Thurbert Baker's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 2019-02-03.

[11] "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Karen M. Freeman-Wilson".

[12] "The Honorable Peter C. Harvey, '79". www.alumni.morgan.edu. Retrieved 2019-02-03.

[13] "13 Trailblazing Facts About Kamala Harris". mentalfloss.com. 2019-01-23. Retrieved 2019-02-03.

[14] Walker, Kayla (November 13, 2018). "Curtis Hill Named Vice Chair of GOP Attorneys General Assoc". Nuvo. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[15] Mays, Jeffery C. (December 31, 2018). "N.Y.'s New Attorney General Is Targeting Trump. Will Judges See a 'Political Vendetta?'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-03.

[16] "Illinois Attorney General Democratic nominee: Kwame Raoul". Chicago Sun-Times. October 14, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[17] Lockhead, Colton (November 14, 2018). "Aaron Ford setting priorities for his time as Nevada attorney general". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[18] Montemayor, Stephen (January 7, 2019). "Keith Ellison ushers in new era for Minnesota Attorney General's Office". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 4, 2019.

[19] "MSU Libraries: Richard H. Austin".

[20] "Basil Paterson dead, trailblazing NY politician and former Gov. David Paterson's father was 87". Newsday. 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2014-04-17.

[Milwaukee_Journal_Sentinel-21] "Pioneering civil rights leader Vel Phillips dies". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.

[THM-22] "Myra McDaniel". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved February 20, 2017.

[vb-23] "Victoria Buckley; Colorado Secretary of State, GOP Star". The Los Angeles Times. July 17, 1999. Retrieved February 8, 2019.

[24] "Loren Monroe, first black State Treasurer of Michigan, dead at 87". June 4, 2019.

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