Who was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress?

• A. Condoleezza Rice
• B. Kamala Harris
• C. Barbara Jordan
• D. Shirley Chisholm

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is recognizing who broke the barrier for African American women in Congress. Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives when she won in 1968 and took office in 1969, representing New York’s 12th district (Brooklyn). She served for fourteen years and championed education, healthcare, and the rights of women and minorities, and she later ran for president in 1972, highlighting her trailblazing role. Barbara Jordan later became the first African American woman from a Southern state to serve in Congress, but that came after Chisholm. Condoleezza Rice never served in Congress, and Kamala Harris, though a prominent political figure, was not the first African American woman elected to Congress.