Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Kamala Harris Just Became The Second Black Female U.S. Senator Ever

California’s Attorney General, Kamala Harris, just made history becoming the second black woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate ever. Many may not know this, but the newly elected senator is a graduate of Howard University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

The 52-year-old senator’s platform targets issues including immigration reform, enacting family leave and equal pay policies, universal pre-kindergarten for children, addressing climate change and fixing the criminal justice system.

According to NBC NEWS, “While 20 African-American women currently serve in the House of Representatives, there hasn’t been a Black female senator since Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois served one term from 1993 to 1999.” Because we are a website focusing on the history and culture of Black fraternities and sororities, it must also be noted that Senator Carol Moseley Braun happens to be an honorary member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Senator Harris attended Howard University where she became a member of the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha and was very active in campus politics. She was a political science/economics major and a member of the debate team, campaigning for the first time as an undergrad.

“My first run for office was at Howard University, where I was elected freshman class representative of the liberal arts student council. Running a campaign at Howard was tough! I remember walking up to strangers,” she recalled “asking them to vote for me.”

After graduating from undergrad Harris went for her juris doctorate at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and then got a job as the Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County, California.

Following that position, she served two terms as the District Attorney of San Francisco starting in 2003 and was sworn in as Attorney General in 2011 making her the first woman and person of color to hold the position.

Last night, she was voted in as a California senator.

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