The number of Black state-level House speakers just hit a record.
This year's Black History Month ended on a high note Tuesday after Pennsylvania lawmakers elected the state's first Black female statehouse speaker — bringing the number of Black speakers to a new record in what Democrats call a change in the face of leadership.
State Rep. Joanna McClinton received the gavel after a party line vote, which made her the first woman and the second Black person to lead the Pennsylvania chamber.
But beyond The Keystone State, this means there are now a record-breaking six Black statehouse speakers across the country. That not only includes some of the most important 2024 battlegrounds, it also helps build an important pipeline for candidates for higher office.
In addition to McClinton, who represents part of Philadelphia, the five other speakers are all Democrats.
They include: Illinois's Chris Welch; Maine's Rachel Talbot Ross; Maryland's Adrienne A. Jones; Michigan's Joe Tate; and New York's Carl Heastie.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/28/black-statehouse-speakers-record/11367127002/