During Reconstruction, black legislators had been a majority in the lower house of the legislature.

But he said the party would not benefit if black legislators lost.

It also was the first, in 1836, to elect a black legislator.

There are growing ideological differences among black and Hispanic legislators.

The move raised the possibility of a battle between black and white legislators over how to draft a new plan.

He was recently defended by several black legislators who tried to get him a pension.

He was the longest serving black legislator in Ohio history at the time of his death.

Democrats accused the Governor of trying to divide black legislators from white ones.

As recently as 1970, it had only one black legislator.

Thompson's staffers brought the bill to Washington and other black legislators before it would be presented to the floor.