Which would be more historic?

Posted at 6:12 PM on February 7, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The first African American elected POTUS or the first woman elected POTUS?

A DFL activist told me the other day that he and his wife got in an argument over which would be groundbreaking - electing a black president or a female president in 2008. On the one hand, African Americans got the right to vote a lot earlier than women. But African Americans were disenfranchised from voting in the South until the 1960s. A woman was appointed to a Cabient position a lot earlier than an African American.

Here are some facts to consider:

Joseph Rainey was the first African American seated in Congress in 1870. John Willis Menard was elected in 1868 but was denied the seat.

Jeanette Rankin was the first woman elected to Congress in 1916.

Frances Perkins was the first female Cabinet member appointed in 1933 by FDR.

Robert Weaver was the first African American Cabinet member appointed by LBJ in 1966.

So which would be more historic? Share your thoughts.

Of course, there are plenty of Republicans who would like to see the first Arizona citizen elected president.

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