Almanac of Women and Minorities in American Politics
by Mart Martin

Publisher:  Westview Press, 1999
ISBN:  0813362707

Author Mart Martin has assembled an impressive array of detailed information on the political achievements of people who aren't heterosexual white males. Separate sections highlight Women, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Minorities, Gay men, and Lesbians. If you want a narrative of U.S. history, you should search elsewhere. If you want to check for "notable firsts," with some basic information on the accomplishments of these political pioneers, this extensive collection is complete, accurate as far as I could check it, and surprisingly readable.

This reference will prove valuable to readers wanting to discover such facts as: how many women have served in the U.S. Senate? The chart is on pages 13-14, and the answer is 27. The first, Rebecca Latimer Felton of Georgia, served for only two days, in 1922. At time of publication, nine of these women were still in office. Another chart on pages 35-37, shows where the nine sitting female Senators rank in seniority. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD,) the senior female Senator, is 33rd in overall seniority. The next most senior Senator is Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), at 56th.

Many lists are primarily names, dates, offices, and jurisdictions represented, but some lists include more information. On pages 130-132, for example, the author gives a paragraph to each of the four African Americans who have been U.S. Senators, summarizing how he or she came to office. The chart of female Senators, described above, is also followed by a paragraph or two of information on the career of each.

The author also includes some notable "missed opportunities" such as Florence Ellinwood Allen, who was almost appointed to the Supreme Court by President Harry S Truman. Truman was dissuaded by the other justices.

Some facts may surprise. I did not know that the New Jersey Constitution granted women the right to vote in 1776, and that many women did vote in the Presidential elections of 1800 and 1804, just before the legislature revoked their right in 1807.

The book's value would not have been diminished, however, by leaving out a few lists and facts. Did we really need to know -- in this book, given its focus--how many U.S. Senators committed suicide while in office? The author occasionally falls into the temptation to share yet another list. In this case, it was unnecessary to the book's main purpose: to document the increasing diversity of the U.S. political scene.

If you want to be doubly impressed--with the large number of members of these underrepresented groups who have achieved a place in American politics and with the slow progress of "firsts" even recently--then you'll relish this volume. Much progress has been made in opening up the American political scene to these "outsiders," but much more progress will have to be made before anything like equal participation is achieved.

Jone Johnson Lewis, your Guide for Women's History