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Senator Tim Scott Becomes Longest-Serving African American in U.S. Senate History at Start of 119th Congress

Jan 3, 2025, 04:26 PM

Senator Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, has become the longest-serving African American in the 235-year history of the United States Senate. This milestone was achieved at the start of the 119th Congress, marking a significant moment 60 years after Black Americans gained the right to vote through the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Scott, who was appointed to the Senate in 2012 by then-Governor Nikki Haley, has now surpassed the record previously held by Senator Edward Brooke, a Republican from Massachusetts, who served from 1967 to 1979. Scott, at 59 years old, is the only Black Republican senator and has expressed his goal to 'make America work for Americans' as he takes on the role of Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. His achievement coincides with a historic period in the Senate, as it will see its highest number of Black senators serving concurrently, including Senators Raphael Warnock, Cory Booker, Scott, Angela Alsobrooks, and Lisa Blunt Rochester, with the latter two being the first Black women to serve together in the Senate.