Hiram Rhodes Revels made history as the initial African-American to serve in the United States Senate. From February 1870 to March 1871, Revels held the position of U.S. Senator for Mississippi.
 |
| Hiram Rhodes Revels, circa 1860s |
Revels' one-year term was due to his election to complete the vacant seat, a result of the aftermath of the American Civil War. During this period, U.S. Senate seats were not directly chosen by the public; instead, state legislatures had the authority. The Mississippi legislature decisively voted 81 to 15, electing Hiram Rhodes Revels as the representative for the state in Washington, D.C.
Although chosen by the Mississippi legislature, Revels faced opposition in the U.S. Senate, particularly from Democratic Party members who objected to his race. This led to a two-day debate that concluded on February 25th, 1871, with a party-line vote of 48 to 8, favoring Revels' admission to the U.S. Senate.
Following his term, Revels assumed the role of the inaugural president of the Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College, a historically black institution. In 1872-1873, he briefly served as the Secretary of State of Mississippi. Additionally, Revels pursued a career as a Methodist Episcopal minister until his passing in 1901.
 |
| Portrait Painting of Senator Hiram Rhodes Revels by Theodor Kaufmann. |
In addition to being the pioneer African-American U.S. Senator, Revels held the distinction of being one of only five with acknowledged Native American ancestry to serve in the U.S. Senate. Despite Revels' groundbreaking achievement, another African American did not take on the role of U.S. Senator for Mississippi until Edward Brooke in 1967, following a brief interruption after Revels in 1875.
