Although most members belong to the Democratic Party, the CBC founders envisioned it as a non-partisan organization, and there have been several instances of bipartisan collaboration with Republicans.

[2][3][4][5] The predecessor to the caucus was founded in January 1969 as the Democratic Select Committee by a group of black members of the House of Representatives, including Shirley Chisholm of New York, Louis Stokes of Ohio, and William L. Clay of Missouri.

As a result of Congressional redistricting and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, more black representatives were elected to the House (increasing from nine to thirteen), encouraging them to establish a formal organization.

President Richard Nixon refused to meet with the newly formed group, leading the CBC to boycott the 1971 State of the Union address.

In 1977, the organization was involved in the founding of TransAfrica, an education and advocacy affiliate that was formed to act as a resource on information on the African continent and its Diaspora.

[15] During the 2020 George Floyd protests, the CBC provided House members with stoles made from kente to be worn for an 8:46-long moment of silence before introducing the Justice in Policing Act of 2020.

Our diversity makes us stronger, and the expertise of all of our members has helped us be effective beyond our numbers.Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of African-American studies and popular culture at Duke University, wrote a column in late 2008 that the Congressional Black Caucus and other African-American-centered organizations are still needed, and should take advantage of "the political will that Obama's campaign has generated.

[20] The PAC caused controversy when it backed incumbent Michael Capuano, a white man, over challenger Ayanna Pressley, a black woman who ultimately defeated him.

[22] HuffPost reporters questioned how endorsements were made, noting that the executive board included corporate lobbyists over CBC members.

[24] Color of Change, a civil rights advocacy nonprofit group, released a letter in 2016 calling on the CBCPAC to cut ties with lobbyists from industries that are "notorious for the mistreatment and exploitation of Black people" including private prisons, pharmaceutical companies, student loan creditors, and big tobacco.

The caucus is officially non-partisan; but, in practice, the vast majority of Black politicians elected to Congress since the CBC's founding have been Democrats.

Gary Franks was the first Republican voting congressman to join in 1991, though he was at times excluded from CBC strategy sessions, skipped meetings, and threatened to quit the caucus.

[citation needed] In 2006, while running for Congress in a Tennessee district which is 60% black, Steve Cohen, who is white, pledged to apply for membership in order to represent his constituents.

Clay also issued the following statement: Quite simply, Representative Cohen will have to accept what the rest of the country will have to accept—there has been an unofficial Congressional White Caucus for over 200 years, and now it is our turn to say who can join 'the club.'

[34]Later the same week, Representative Tom Tancredo, a Republican from Colorado, objected to the continued existence of the CBC as well as the Democratic Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Republican Congressional Hispanic Conference arguing that "It is utterly hypocritical for Congress to extol the virtues of a color-blind society while officially sanctioning caucuses that are based solely on race.

Espaillat signaled that he wanted to join the CBC as well as the CHC, but it was reported that he was rebuffed, and it was insinuated that the cause was bad blood over the attempted primary challenges of Rangel.

The following U.S. representatives have chaired the Congressional Black Caucus:[39] Delaware Georgia Maryland New Jersey Alabama California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Nevada New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Texas Virginia Washington Wisconsin U.S. Virgin Islands Source[41] The Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls is a separate caucus of the United States Congress founded in 2016 to advance issues and legislation important to the welfare of women and girls of African descent.