25 Most Influential African Americans In Politics

BET.com celebrates the top 25 Blacks in politics.

Reggie Love - He is the personal aide, or body man, to U.S. President Barack Obama.  Love applied for an internship on Capitol Hill in 2006. He was interviewed by Robert Gibbs, Obama’s communications director, for a position in Obama's Senate office.He was hired with the title "deputy political director."As Obama's aide, he has to anticipate any and all of Obama's needs. As part of a tradition, Love and Obama played basketball every day there was a primary during the 2008 presidential election.
Karen Bass - She is the speaker of the California State Assembly. She has represented the 47th district since she was first elected in 2004.In addition to her leadership of California African Americans for Obama and her post on Barack Obama's national African American Leadership Council, Bass has served as a California Co-chair of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Bass is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
John Kenneth Blackwell - A former secretary of state for Ohio. He was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party [Republican Party]in Ohio. He is currently Vice Chairman of the Republican National Committee's Platform Committee and a candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee. Blackwell is a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.
Roland Wallace Burris - He is the junior United States Senator for the state of Illinois. He is the only African-American serving in the Senate. A lifelong Democrat, Burris was appointed to the seat by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to replace Barack Obama, who had resigned following his election as President of the United States. Burris is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.Adrian Malik Fenty - He  is the sixth and current mayor of the District of Columbia, having begun his term of office on Jan. 2, 2007.  Fenty is the youngest person ever to hold the office of District of Columbia Mayor, winning election at age 35 and entering office at 36. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

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Karen Bass - She is the speaker of the California State Assembly. She has represented the 47th district since she was first elected in 2004.In addition to her leadership of California African Americans for Obama and her post on Barack Obama's national African American Leadership Council, Bass has served as a California Co-chair of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Bass is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

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