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Resource African-American Legislators 2009

Updated January 10, 2008

The following table presents data on the percentage of state legislators in each state who identify as African American in 2009. NCSL confirms data points on legislator race and ethnicity with the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.

 
State Total Legislative Seats Total African American State Legislators % of Total Seats Total Senate Seats African American Senators % of Senate Seats Total House Seats African American House Members % of House Seats
Alabama 140 35 25% 35 8 23% 105 27 26%
Alaska 60 1 2% 20 1 5% 40 0 0%
Arizona 90 2 2% 30 1 3% 60 1 2%
Arkansas 135 14 10% 35 4 11% 100 10 10%
California 120 13 11% 40 6 5% 80 7 9%
Colorado 100 2 2% 35 1 3% 65 1 2%
Connecticut 187 15 8% 36 4 8% 151 11 7%
Delaware 62 5 8% 21 1 5% 41 4 10%
Florida 160 26 16% 40 7 18% 120 19 16%
Georgia 236 53 22% 56 12 21% 180 41 23%
Hawaii 76 0 0% 25 0 0% 51 0 0%
Idaho 105 0 0% 35 0 0% 70 0 0%
Illinois 177 31 18% 59 10 17% 118 21 18%
Indiana 150 12 8% 50 4 8% 100 8 8%
Iowa 150 0 0% 50 0 0% 100 0 0%
Kansas 165 7 4% 40 2 5% 125 5 4%
Kentucky 138 7 5% 38 1 3% 100 6 6%
Louisiana 144 26 18% 39 6 23% 105 20 19%
Maine 186 0 0% 35 0 0% 151 0 0%
Maryland 188 43 23% 47 10 17% 141 33 23%
Massachusetts 200 9 5% 40 0 3% 160 9 6%
Michigan 148 22 15% 38 5 11% 110 17 15%
Minnesota 201 2 1% 67 0 0% 134 2 1%
Mississippi 174 50 29% 52 13 21% 122 37 30%
Missouri 197 19 10% 34 3 9% 163 16 10%
Montana 150 0 0% 50 0 0% 100 0 0%
Nebraska 49 2 4% 49 2 2% Unicameral Legislature
Nevada 63 7 11% 21 3 14% 42 4 10%
New Hampshire 424 1 0% 24 0 0% 400 1 0%
New Jersey 120 15 13% 40 5 5% 80 10 13%
New Mexico 112 2 2% 42 0 0% 70 2 3%
New York 212 34 16% 62 10 18% 150 24 16%
North Carolina 170 32 19% 50 9 14% 120 23 19%
North Dakota 141 0 0% 47 0 0% 94 0 0%
Ohio 132 19 14% 33 5 15% 99 14 14%
Oklahoma 149 6 4% 48 2 2% 101 4 4%
Oregon 90 2 2% 30 2 10% 60 0 0%
Pennsylvania 253 19 8% 50 3 8% 203 16 8%
Rhode Island 113 3 3% 38 1 0% 75 2 3%
South Carolina 170 37 22% 46 8 17% 124 29 23%
South Dakota 105 0 0% 35 0 0% 70 0 0%
Tennessee 132 18 14% 33 3 6% 99 15 15%
Texas 181 16 9% 31 2 3% 150 14 9%
Utah 104 0 0% 29 0 0% 75 0 0%
Vermont 180 1 1% 30 1 0% 150 0 0%
Virginia 140 14 10% 40 5 13% 100 9 9%
Washington 147 2 1% 49 1 2% 98 1 1%
West Virginia 134 3 2% 34 0 0% 100 3 3%
Wisconsin 132 0 0% 33 0 6% 99 0 0%
Wyoming 90 1 1% 30 0 0% 60 1 2%
Total 7382 628 9% 1971 161 8% 5411 467 9%

Source: National Black Caucus of State Legislatures and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

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