The primary mission of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus is "to assure that the interests of African American citizens are given equitable representation in the General Assembly and that legislative action is directed to address those interests." The Caucus's efforts have focused in the areas of housing, health & welfare, education, employment and minority business enterprise. Specific priorities include:
Reform the current education funding inequalities in Illinois Schools
Develop a comprehensive job training program, which will focus on the top ten zip code areas with the highest unemployment statistics.
The following legislators are officers of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus for the 99th General Assembly.
District
Officers
Position
4
Kimberly Lightford
Joint Chair
14
Toi Hutchinson
Senate Chair
60
Rita Mayfield
House Chair
103
Carol Ammons
Secretary
34
Elgie Sims
Treasurer
67
Litesa Wallace
Sergeant at Arms
Senate Members
House Members
History
African Americans in the Illinois General Assembly have had the longest uninterrupted presence in any state legislature in the United States, dating back to 1882. The first African American in the Illinois House of Representatives, John W. E. Thomas of Chicago, was elected in 1876, and after not being re-nominated in 1878 and 1880, returned to the House in 1882. The number of African-Americans in the House increased to two in 1912. Adelbert H. Roberts became the first African American in the Illinois Senate in 1924. Roberts, in 1927, became the first to chair a legislative committee, the Senate Committee on Criminal Procedure. Until 1934, all of the African-Americans elected to the General Assembly were Republicans, after which the African-American presence in the legislature gradually shifted to the Democratic caucus. Floy Clements and Earlene Collins became the first African-American women to be elected to the House and Senate, respectively. Cecil A. Partee rose to become the first Minority Leader and President of the Senate. The Caucus originated in a study group formed by Harold Washington, Louis A.H. Caldwell, Otis Collins, and Calvin Smith in 1966. The Caucus was formally established in 1968, and purchased a permanent headquarters in Springfield in 2004.
