Congressional Black Caucus grows to 62 members
New York representative Yvette C. Clark will become chairman of the largest Congressional Black Causes in history with 62 members when 119th Congress convenes on January 3, 2025. Clark succeeds Representative Steven Horsford from Nevada.
The caucus also will have two Black women U.S. Senators if they decide to join. They are Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland.
Representative Clarke represents New York’s 9th district and currently serves as a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) was established by 13 members in 1971, following the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. .)
Initially, President Richard Nixon refused to meet with the newly formed group, leading the CBC to boycott his 1971 State of the Union address.
Nixon finally met with the CBC on March 25, 1971.