“On August 11, 2020, Vice President Harris accepted President Joe Biden’s invitation to become his running mate and help unite the nation. She is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected Vice President, as was the case with other offices she has held”( The White House, 2021). Twelve years prior former President Barrack Obama made history in becoming the first African American president in the United Sates. Controversy has risen in the delay and difficulty African Americans faced to achieve the political leadership they now hold today.

In 1965 there were no African American U.S senators or governors, with only five members of the House of Representatives being black. As of 2019 there are three black senators and no black governors, 57 house members of the new congress are African Americans; not including commissioners and nonvoting delegates. The highest amount of African American representation the the presidential cabinet has been during former president Bill Clinton’s first term of presidency where 4 appointees were black. The 117th congress has been known to make history in becoming the most diverse both racially and ethnically the U.S has ever had. Congress today consists of 11% blacks, 8.6% hispanics, 3.2% asian Americans, and 1.1% Native Americans. As well as 23% of minorities are representatives of Capitol Hill. The U.S Supreme Court consists of only two racial minority judges, only representing 22% of the courts membership. Incredibly out of 115 individuals who have served the court only three have been people of color.

There’s no doubt white individuals hold the most power politically among the U.S. There are 1.5 million individuals who work for the federal government and only 18% of them are African Americans and more than 60% of them being white. As well as Hispanics being the most underrepresented in the federal government workforce with only 9%.”It is therefore the policy of my administration that the federal government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others”( The White House, 2021). “By advancing equity across the federal government we can create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have historically underserved”( The White House, 2021). Federal agencies have proven to struggle in providing minorities equal opportunities for employment.Leading individuals to believe the federal government plays a role in creating and maintaining racial inequity.”While the federal government uses a merit system of nine principles to ensure fairness and equity in hiring, pay, and promotions, the latest data makes it clear that underrepresented groups still face a biased system and structural inequality in their work place”(Partnership for Public Service, 2020).

Current President Biden and his administration move to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within the government. Although racial equity needs to be enforced in the federal government first before targeting racial equity among society to provide an example as well raising minority political leadership overall within the government. Over the years not only will racial equity  accomplish improvement but minorities will continue to surpass those low percentages statistically proven. Who knows maybe we’ll go from having the first female African American Vice President to having the first female African American President.