Updated Aug 21, 2018 - Politics & Policy

22 states have never sent an African American to Congress

Alexi McCammond

Congressional black caucus at a press conference — Congressional Black Caucus chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) speaks on the Hill. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

It's 2018, and 22 states have never sent an African American to Congress.

Why it matters: The country is constantly changing and becoming more diverse. Electing more people of color could quell many Americans' feelings that politics is broken and there's little trust in public institutions. At the very least, it would increase the likelihood that policies better reflect communities of color around the country.

The states include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, according to data from the House historian's office.

Go deeper with a full interactive map of representation over time.

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22 states have never sent an African American to Congress

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