Historic Firsts: 2020
Progress that Democrat leaders are making and the glass ceilings that are breaking.
Not every Historic First will be listed - the effort to catalogue them all continues.
Kamala Harris, Vice President
The first woman to lead as Vice President. The first Black Vice President. The first South Asian Vice President. And in 2024 or 2028, she could break glass ceilings as President.
Doug Emhoff, Second Gentleman
He is the first Second Gentleman of the United States and the first Jewish person to be in either the First (President's) or Second (Vice President's) families.
Joe Biden, President
He shattered the all-time vote total record when he received 81,282,903 votes to become the 46th U.S. President. You already know.
Dr. Jill Biden, FLOTUS
She is the first FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) to have a full-time job while in the White House - teaching at a community college. Would you be a better or worse student in her class??
Deb Haaland, Interior Secretary
Deb Haaland (NM-01) is the first Native American to lead the Department of the Interior - and the first Native American to serve in a Cabinet secretary role.
Xavier Becerra, HHS Secretary
He is the first Latinx Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court
She is the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court. She succeeded Justice Stephen Breyer who retired in January.
Cecilia Rouse, CEA Chair
She is the first Black person to chair the White House Council of Economic of Advisors (CEA). This made her the top economist on the Biden-Harris team.
Katherine Tai, US Trade Representative
She is the first Asian American and the first woman of color to serve as the U.S. Trade Representative, our lead negotiator in trading.
Cori Bush, MO-01
She is the first Black congresswoman to represent a Missouri district. On Twitter, she paid tribute to the first Black woman elected to Congress 52 years - to the day - before her, Shirley Chisholm.
Ritchie Torres, NY-15th
He is the first gay Black person elected to Congress. He shares this with Rep. Mondaire Jones (NY-17).
Mondaire Jones, NY-17th
He is the first gay Black person elected to Congress. He shares this with Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15).
Marilyn Strickland, WA-10th
She is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress and she is Washington state's first Black congresswoman.
New Mexico Congressional Reps
New Mexico is the first state to have elected all women of color to the House of Representatives, including Deb Haaland (NM-01, now Interior Secretary) and Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03).
Adeoye Owolewa, shadow House Rep. for DC
He is the first Nigerian-American elected to U.S. Congress.
Madinah Wilson-Anton, Delaware State Legislator
She is Delaware's first Muslim Legislator.
Sarah McBride, Delaware State Senator
She is the country's first transgender state Senator.
Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade Mayor
She is the first woman to be elected mayor of Miami-Dade county.
Michele Raynor-Goolsby, Florida State Legislator
She is the first queer Black woman to hold any political office in Florida.
Shevrin Jones, Florida State Senator
He is the first gay Black person to be elected to the Florida state Senate.
Kim Jackson, Georgia State Senator
She is Georgia's first LGBTQ+ state Senator.
Stephanie Byers, Kansas State Legislator
She is Kansas' first transgender state Legislator - she is the first trans Legislator in the entire Midwest.
Jabari Brisport, New York State Senator
He is the first gay Black member of the New York state Senate.
Nikil Saval, Pennsylvania State Senate
He is the first South Asian American elected to the Pennsylvania state Senate.
Torrey Harris, Tennessee State Legislator
He is the first gay Tennessee state Legislator - he is also the first LGBTQ+ legislator. He shares this with state Rep. Eddie Mannis.
Eddie Mannis, Tennessee State Legislator
He is the first gay Tennessee state Legislator - he is also the first LGBTQ+ legislator. He shares this with state Rep. Torrey Harris.
Taylor Small, Vermont State Legislator
She is the first transgender person elected to the Vermont state Legislature.
Tarra Simmons, Washington State Legislator
She is the first former inmate elected to the Washington state Legislature.
And, of course:
Major Biden, First Dog
He is the first shelter dog to have the White House as a home.
Willow Biden, First Cat
The first cat to call the White House home; apparently Willow the cat interrupted one of Dr. Jill Biden's speeches during a campaign stop in 2020, and that led to Willow's adoption. COTUS.
*photos c/o of each official's personal social media
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