Black Americans in Congress, 1870–2007, is a comprehensive history of the more than 120 African Americans who have served in the United States Congress. Written for a general audience, this book contains a profile of each African-American Member, including notables such as Hiram Revels, Joseph Rainey, Oscar De Priest, Adam Clayton Powell, Shirley Chisholm, Gus Hawkins, and Barbara Jordan. Individual profiles are introduced by contextual essays that explain major events in congressional and U.S. history. The volume also features:

• Pictures—including rarely seen historical images—of each African American who has served in Congress
• Bibliographies and references to manuscript collections for each Member
• Statistical graphs and charts
• Index