Here Are The Black Politicians You Need To Know In 2024

As we head into a contentious election year, Vice President Kamala Harris is a vital political figure to watch. The first Black and first Indian American Vice President has been taking more of a lead role as a public face of the administration.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is another key figure to watch as the election approaches and Democrats attempt to seize control of the House.

The former Emily’s List President turned California Senator will be an interesting person to watch inside and outside of the halls of Congress. Senator Laphonza Butler has vowed not to run in the contentious primary race, but her endorsement could sway things.

North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is worth keeping a close eye on. The Trump ally, who is running to be Governor, once said that the Civil Rights movement was a communist plot to steal our freedoms.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been a steadfast presence in the House for decades. Now, she’s running for the late-Senator Dianne Feinstein’s seat.

Congresswoman Cori Bush emerged as even more formidable leader in the progressive coalition, with her bold calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Rep. Bush will be worth watching in the New Year!

Representative Ayanna Pressley lead the charge to get The FDA to address the dangers of chemical relaxers. She’s also been a voice in the House for an end to the bombardment of Gaza. Pressley will be interesting to watch in 2024 as the House gears up for an important election.

Congresswoman Summer Lee is another progressive member of Congress worth keeping a close watch over. She’s relatively new to Congress, but that hasn’t stopped her from leading on critical issues.

Congressman Jamaal Bowman had an interesting year in 2023. Representative Bowman was censured for pulling a fire alarm in Congress, but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to be a strong progressive voice in the House. It will be interesting to see how he addresses the censure and his role in the party going into the new year!

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been another strong progressive voice in the House pushing for a ceasefire and other progressive priorities. She’s facing a difficult re-election bid that will be worth following closely.

Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett is another important Black political figure to watch! She’s gained a reputation for speaking her mind and calling out double-standards.

Another Texas Congresswoman to watch is Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. Congresswoman Lee recently lost her bid for the Houston Mayoral race, but she has another race for her Congressional seat underway.

Congressman Jonathan Jackson is the son of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson. Rep. Jackson has been leading the fight for connecting HBCUs to the digital infrastructure, and was early in the fight for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Senator Tim Scott may have suspended his Presidential run, but that doesn’t mean we should take our eyes off of him in 2024 as the remaining candidates battle it out.

New York Mayor Eric Adams is facing a heap of trouble going into the new year. Adams is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the early 90s, and his campaign is being federally investigated.