List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States
This is a list of minority governors and lieutenant state governors in the United States. In the United States, an ethnic minority is anyone who has at least one parent who is not of non-Hispanic white descent (such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islands Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, or Native Americans). Ethnic minorities currently constitute around 38.9% of the total population.[1] Lieutenant governor-equivalent roles (positions next in the line of succession absent an office of the lieutenant governor, such as secretary of state or senate president) are not currently included.
List of ethnic-minority governors
- Italics denotes acting governor
Portrait | Name | Ethnicity | Party | State | Term start | Term end | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P. B. S. Pinchback (1837–1921) |
African American | Republican | Louisiana | December 9, 1872 | January 13, 1873 | Elevated from Lieutenant Governor. Term ended. | |
Romualdo Pacheco[2] (1831–1899) |
Mexican American | Republican | California | February 27, 1875 | December 9, 1875 | Elevated from Lieutenant Governor. Term ended. | |
Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca[3] (1864–1917) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 3, 1917 | February 18, 1917 | Died in office | |
Octaviano Larrazolo[4] (1859–1930) |
Mexican American | Republican | New Mexico | January 1, 1919 | January 1, 1921 | Lost renomination | |
Johnston Murray[5] (1902-1974)[6] |
Native American (Chickasaw) | Democratic | Oklahoma | January 8, 1951 | January 10, 1955 | Term limited | |
George Ariyoshi (born 1926) |
Japanese American | Democratic | Hawaii | October 17, 1973 | December 2, 1986 | Elevated to Acting Governor from Lieutenant Governor until elected in his own right. Term limited. | |
Jerry Apodaca (born 1934) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1975 | January 1, 1979 | Term limited | |
Raúl Castro[7] (1916–2015) |
Mexican American | Democratic | Arizona | January 6, 1975 | October 20, 1977 | Resigned to become United States Ambassador to Argentina | |
Toney Anaya[8] (born 1941) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1983 | January 1, 1987 | Term limited | |
John Sununu[9] (born 1939) |
Salvadoran American | Republican | New Hampshire | January 6, 1983 | January 4, 1989 | Retired | |
John Waihee[10] (born 1946) |
Native Hawaiian | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1986 | December 2, 1994 | Term limited | |
Bob Martinez[11] (born 1934) |
Spanish American | Republican | Florida | January 6, 1987 | January 8, 1991 | Lost reelection | |
Douglas Wilder[12] (born 1931) |
African American | Democratic | Virginia | January 13, 1990 | January 15, 1994 | Term limited | |
Ben Cayetano[10] (born 1939) |
Filipino American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1994 | December 2, 2002 | Term limited | |
Gary Locke[13] (born 1950) |
Chinese American | Democratic | Washington | January 15, 1997 | January 12, 2005 | Retired | |
Bill Richardson[14] (born 1947) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 2003 | January 1, 2011 | Term limited | |
Deval Patrick (born 1956) |
African American | Democratic | Massachusetts | January 4, 2007 | January 8, 2015 | Retired | |
Bobby Jindal[15] (born 1971) |
Indian American | Republican | Louisiana | January 14, 2008 | January 11, 2016 | Term limited | |
David Paterson (born 1954) |
African American | Democratic | New York | March 17, 2008 | December 31, 2010 | Elevated to office from Lieutenant Governor. Retired | |
Susana Martinez (born 1959) |
Mexican American | Republican | New Mexico | January 1, 2011 | January 1, 2019 | Term limited | |
Brian Sandoval (born 1963) |
Mexican American | Republican | Nevada | January 3, 2011 | January 7, 2019 | Term limited | |
Nikki Haley (born 1972) |
Indian American | Republican | South Carolina | January 12, 2011 | January 24, 2017 | Resigned to become to United States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
David Ige (born 1957) |
Okinawan American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 1, 2014 | present | ||
Chris Sununu (born 1974) |
Salvadoran American | Republican | New Hampshire | January 5, 2017 | present | ||
Michelle Lujan Grisham[16] (born 1959) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 2019 | present | ||
Kevin Stitt[17] (born 1972) |
Native American (Cherokee Nation) | Republican | Oklahoma | January 14, 2019 | present |
Territorial governors
Several governors of U.S. territories have been ethnic minorities. Many of these officials were appointed before elections were instituted in these jurisdictions. This list includes mayors of the District of Columbia, who is the chief executive of that jurisdiction, and presidents of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, which was the transitional executive of the Philippine Commonwealth before it gained full independence from the United States.
In each of the five current US territories, Hispanic or non-white ethnic groups make up large majorities: Puerto Rican Hispanic Americans in Puerto Rico, African Americans in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Chamorros in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and Samoans in American Samoa. Elected governors and some appointed governors in these territories that have come from these majority ethnic groups are not listed here; for more details see List of governors of Puerto Rico, List of Governors of the United States Virgin Islands, List of Governors of Guam, List of Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands, and List of governors of American Samoa.
- Italics denotes acting governor
Portrait | Name | Ethnicity | Party | Territory | Term start | Term end | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miguel Otero (1859–1944) |
Mexican American | Republican | New Mexico | July 14, 1897 | January 22, 1906 | Appointment ended | |
Frank Portusach (1864–1919) |
Spanish American | Independent | Guam | June 22, 1898 | December 12, 1898 | Deposed[18] | |
William Coe | Samoan | Independent | Guam | April 20, 1899 | May 9, 1899 | Appointment ended | |
Manuel Quezon (1878–1944) |
Spanish Filipino/Tagalog/Mestizo | Nacionalista | Philippines | November 15, 1935 | August 1, 1944 | Died in office | |
Sergio Osmeña (1878–1961) |
Filipino Chinese/Cebuano | Nacionalista | Philippines | August 1, 1944 | May 28, 1946 | Elevated from Vice President Lost election to full term | |
Manuel Roxas (1892–1948) |
Hiligaynon | Liberal | Philippines | May 28, 1946 | July 4, 1946 | Became an independent sovereign state | |
Morris de Castro (1902–1966) |
Panamanian American | Democratic | U.S. Virgin Islands | October 21, 1949 | April 9, 1954 | Elevated to Acting Governor from Secretary until appointed in his own right Resigned appointment | |
Walter Washington (1915–2003) |
African American | Democratic | District of Columbia | November 7, 1967 | January 2, 1979 | Appointed as Mayor-Commissioner before being elected in his own right Lost renomination | |
Juan Luis (1940–2011) |
Puerto Rican | Independent Citizens Movement (1978–1979) | U.S. Virgin Islands | January 2, 1978 | January 5, 1987 | Elevated to Governor from Lieutenant Governor. Later elected in his own right. Term limited | |
Independent (1979–1987) | |||||||
Marion Barry (1936–2014) |
African American | Democratic | District of Columbia | January 2, 1979 | January 2, 1991 | Retired | |
January 2, 1995 | January 2, 1999 | Retired | |||||
Sharon Pratt (born 1944) |
African American | Democratic | District of Columbia | January 2, 1991 | January 2, 1995 | Lost renomination | |
Anthony Williams (born 1951) |
African American | Democratic | District of Columbia | January 2, 1999 | January 2, 2007 | Retired | |
Benigno Fitial (born 1945) |
Carolinian | Covenant (2006–2011) | Northern Mariana Islands | January 9, 2006 | February 20, 2013 | Impeached | |
Republican (2011–2013) | |||||||
Adrian Fenty (born 1970) |
African American | Democratic | District of Columbia | January 2, 2007 | January 2, 2011 | Lost renomination | |
Vincent Gray (born 1942) |
African American | Democratic | District of Columbia | January 2, 2011 | January 2, 2015 | Lost renomination | |
Muriel Bowser (born 1972) |
African American | Democratic | District of Columbia | January 2, 2015 | present |
List of ethnic-minority lieutenant governors
- Italics denotes acting lieutenant governor
Portrait | Name | Ethnicity | Party | State | Term start | Term end | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pablo de la Guerra (1819–1874) |
Mexican American | Democratic | California | January 7, 1861 | January 10, 1862 | Retired | |
Oscar Dunn (1826–1871) |
African American | Republican | Louisiana | June 27, 1868 | November 22, 1871 | Died | |
Alonzo Ransier[19] (1834–1882) |
African American | Republican | South Carolina | December 3, 1870 | December 7, 1872 | Retired to run successfully for South Carolina's 2nd congressional district | |
Alexander K. Davis[20] | African American | Republican | Mississippi | November 30, 1871 | March 29, 1876 | Retired | |
P. B. S. Pinchback (1837–1921) |
African American | Republican | Louisiana | December 6, 1871 | December 9, 1872 | Elevated to Governor | |
Romualdo Pacheco[21] (1831–1899) |
Mexican American | Republican | California | December 8, 1871 | February 27, 1875 | Elevated to Governor | |
Richard Gleaves (1819–1907) |
African American | Republican | South Carolina | December 7, 1872 | December 14, 1876 | Lost reelection | |
Caesar Antoine (1836–1921) |
African American | Republican | Louisiana | May 22, 1873 | April 24, 1877 | Lost reelection | |
Albert Estopinal[22] (1845–1919) |
Spanish American | Democratic | Louisiana | May 8, 1900 | May 10, 1904 | Retired | |
Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca (1864–1917) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 6, 1912 | January 1, 1917 | Retired to run successfully for Governor | |
José Baca | Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1923 | May 24, 1924 | Died | |
Louis Cabeza de Baca | Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1935 | January 1, 1937 | Retired | |
Ceferino Quintana | Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1941 | January 1, 1943 | Retired | |
Joseph Montoya[23] (1915–1978) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1947 | January 1, 1951 | Lost reelection | |
January 1, 1955 | April 9, 1957 | Retired to run successfully for New Mexico's at-large congressional district | |||||
Tibo Chávez | Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1951 | January 1, 1955 | Lost reelection | |
James Kealoha (1908–1983) |
Native Hawaiian, Chinese American |
Republican | Hawaii | August 21, 1959 | December 2, 1962 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor | |
William Richardson (1919–2010) |
Native Hawaiian, Chinese American |
Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1962 | December 2, 1966 | Resigned to become Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court | |
Thomas Ponce Gill (1922–2009) |
Cuban American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1966 | December 2, 1970 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Governor | |
George Ariyoshi (born 1926) |
Japanese American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1970 | December 2, 1974 | Retired to run successfully for Governor | |
Roberto Mondragón (born 1940) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1971 | January 1, 1975 | Retired | |
January 1, 1979 | January 1, 1983 | Retired | |||||
Nelson Doi (1922–2015) |
Japanese American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1974 | December 2, 1978 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of Honolulu | |
Mervyn Dymally[24] (1926–2012) |
African American, Indian American | Democratic | California | January 6, 1975 | January 8, 1979 | Lost reelection | |
George Brown (1926–2006) |
African American | Democratic | Colorado | January 14, 1975 | January 10, 1979 | Retired | |
Jean King (1925–2013) |
Japanese American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1978 | December 2, 1982 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Governor | |
Mike Curb (born 1944) |
Mexican American | Republican | California | January 8, 1979 | January 3, 1983 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Governor | |
John Waihee (born 1946) |
Native Hawaiian | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1982 | December 2, 1986 | Retired to run successfully for Governor | |
Shien Woo (born 1937) |
Chinese American | Democratic | Delaware | January 15, 1985 | January 20, 1989 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator of Delaware | |
Douglas Wilder (born 1931) |
African American | Democratic | Virginia | January 18, 1986 | January 12, 1990 | Retired to run successfully for Governor | |
Ben Cayetano (born 1939) |
Filipino American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1986 | December 2, 1994 | Retired to run successfully for Governor | |
Casey Luna (born 1931) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 1991 | January 1, 1995 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Governor | |
Mazie Hirono[25] (born 1947) |
Japanese American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 2, 1994 | December 2, 2002 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor | |
Cruz Bustamante (born 1953) |
Mexican American | Democratic | California | January 4, 1999 | January 8, 2007 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for California Insurance Commissioner | |
Joe Rogers (1964–2013) |
African American | Republican | Colorado | January 12, 1999 | January 14, 2003 | Retired | |
Loren Leman (born 1950) |
Native Alaskan (Alutiiq) | Republican | Alaska | December 2, 2002 | December 4, 2006 | Retired | |
Duke Aiona (born 1955) |
Native Hawaiian, Chinese American |
Republican | Hawaii | December 4, 2002 | December 6, 2010 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor | |
Jennette Bradley (born 1952) |
African American | Republican | Ohio | January 13, 2003 | January 5, 2005 | Resigned to become Ohio Treasurer | |
Michael Steele[26] (born 1958) |
African American | Republican | Maryland | January 15, 2003 | January 17, 2007 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator of Maryland | |
David Paterson (born 1954) |
African American | Democratic | New York | January 1, 2007 | March 17, 2008 | Elevated to Governor | |
Anthony Brown (born 1961) |
African American | Democratic | Maryland | January 17, 2007 | January 21, 2015 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor | |
Malcolm Smith (born 1956) |
African American | Democratic | New York | January 7, 2009 | June 8, 2009 | Resigned | |
Pedro Espada Jr. (born 1953) |
Puerto Rican | Democratic | New York | June 8, 2009 | July 8, 2009 | Resigned | |
Mona Pasquil (born 1962) |
Filipino American | Democratic | California | November 4, 2009 | April 27, 2010 | Retired | |
Abel Maldonado (born 1967) |
Mexican American | Republican | California | April 27, 2010 | January 10, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
John Sanchez (born 1963) |
Mexican American | Republican | New Mexico | January 1, 2011 | January 1, 2019 | Term limited | |
Jennifer Carroll (born 1959) |
African American | Republican | Florida | January 4, 2011 | March 12, 2013 | Resigned | |
Joe García (born 1957) |
Mexican American | Democratic | Colorado | January 11, 2011 | May 12, 2016 | Resigned | |
Shan Tsutsui (born 1971) |
Japanese American | Democratic | Hawaii | December 27, 2012 | January 31, 2018 | Resigned | |
Carlos López-Cantera (born 1973) |
Cuban American | Republican | Florida | February 3, 2014 | January 8, 2019 | Retired | |
Byron Mallott (born 1943) |
Native Alaskan (Tlingit) | Democratic | Alaska | December 1, 2014 | October 16, 2018 | Resigned | |
Evelyn Sanguinetti (born 1970) |
Cuban American, Ecuadorian American |
Republican | Illinois | January 12, 2015 | January 14, 2019 | Lost reelection | |
Jenean Hampton (born 1958) |
African American | Republican | Kentucky | December 8, 2015 | December 10, 2019 | Retired | |
Boyd Rutherford (born 1957) |
African American | Republican | Maryland | January 21, 2015 | present | ||
Justin Fairfax (born 1979) |
African American | Democratic | Virginia | January 13, 2018 | present | ||
Sheila Oliver (born 1952) |
African American | Democratic | New Jersey | January 16, 2018 | present | ||
Doug Chin (born 1971) |
Chinese American | Democratic | Hawaii | February 2, 2018 | December 3, 2018 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Hawaii's 1st congressional district | |
Valerie Davidson (born 1967) |
Native Alaskan (Yup'ik) | Independent | Alaska | October 16, 2018 | December 3, 2018 | Retired | |
Garlin Gilchrist (born 1982) |
African American | Democratic | Michigan | January 1, 2019 | present | ||
Howie Morales (born 1973) |
Mexican American | Democratic | New Mexico | January 1, 2019 | present | ||
Mandela Barnes (born 1986) |
African American | Democratic | Wisconsin | January 7, 2019 | present | ||
Peggy Flanagan (born 1979) |
Native American (White Earth Band of Ojibwe) | Democratic | Minnesota | January 7, 2019 | present | ||
Jeanette Núñez (born 1972) |
Cuban American | Republican | Florida | January 8, 2019 | present | ||
Juliana Stratton (born 1965) |
African American | Democratic | Illinois | January 14, 2019 | present |
Territorial lieutenant governors
In each of the four current US territories that have the office of lieutenant governor, non-white ethnic groups make up large majorities: African Americans in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Chamorros in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and Samoans in American Samoa. Elected governors and some appointed governors in these territories that have come from these majority ethnic groups are not listed here; for more details see Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, Lieutenant Governor of Guam, Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa.
Portrait | Name | Ethnicity | Party | State | Term start | Term end | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sergio Osmeña (1878–1961) |
Visayan | Nacionalista | Philippines | November 15, 1935 | August 1, 1944 | Elevated to President | |
Elpidio Quirino[27] (1890–1956) |
Ilocano | Liberal | Philippines | May 28, 1946 | July 4, 1946 | Became an independent sovereign state | |
Morris de Castro (1902–1966) |
Panamanian American | Democratic | U.S. Virgin Islands | 1945 | March 4, 1950 | Elevated to Acting Governor from October 21, 1949 Later appointed in his own right | |
Kurt Moylan (born 1939) |
Native Hawaiian, Chinese American |
Republican | Guam | July 20, 1969 | January 6, 1975 | Appointed Secretary before being elected Lieutenant Governor in his own right from January 4, 1971 Lost reelection | |
Kaleo Moylan (born 1966) |
Native Hawaiian, Chinese American |
Republican | Guam | January 6, 2003 | January 1, 2007 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for nomination to Governor |
See also
- Governor (United States)
- List of current United States governors
- List of U.S. state governors born outside the United States
References
- "ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. December 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
- Previously served as California Treasurer and U.S. Representative from California's 4th congressional district.
- Previously served as Lieutenant Governor.
- Previously served as U.S. Senator from New Mexico.
- https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/nation-world/article229695409.html
- Erin Dowell. "Murray, Johnston". Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Previously served as United States Ambassador to Bolivia and United States Ambassador to El Salvador and later served as United States Ambassador to Argentina.
- Previously served as New Mexico Attorney General.
- Later served as White House Chief of Staff.
- Previously served as Lieutenant Governor.
- Later served as Director of the National Drug Control Policy.
- Previously served as Lieutenant Governor.
- Later served as United States Secretary of Commerce and United States Ambassador to China.
- Previously served as United States Secretary of Energy, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and U.S. Representative from New Mexico's 3rd congressional district.
- Previously served as U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 1st congressional district.
- http://nmpoliticalreport.com/2018/12/28/2018-top-stories-1-lujan-grisham-wins-election/
- https://www.indianz.com/News/2018/11/07/only-one-state-makes-history-with-electi.asp/
- A Spanish Filipino, José Sisto, served from December 12, 1898 – February 1, 1899 in the Spanish government's name, despite tacit acknowledgment by the Americans until the 1898 Treaty of Paris.
- Later served as U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 2nd congressional district.
- https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/2357
- Previously served as California Treasurer and later served as U.S. Representative from California's 4th congressional district.
- Later served as U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 1st congressional district.
- Later served as U.S. Representative from New Mexico's at-large congressional district and U.S. Senator from New Mexico.
- Later served as U.S. Representative from California's 31st congressional district.
- Later served as U.S. Senator from Hawaii.
- Later served as Chair of the Republican National Committee.
- Later served as President post-independence.