On 25 February 1870 Hiram Revels (1822-1901) became the first African American to be sworn in as a US senator.
PBS describes Mr. Revels’ distinguished career in public service.
In Mississippi, he worked with the Freedmen’s Bureau to create schools for African American children. Both blacks and whites respected Revels and elected him to important jobs. He served as an alderman and state senator. Legislators chose him to fill the unexpired term of former Confederate president Jefferson Davis in the United States Senate from 1870-1871. Revels later served as president of Alcorn College, Mississippi’s first college for African-American students.
Sen. Revels was indeed sworn in to serve the remainder of Jefferson Davis’ term.
Hiram R. Revels (1822-1901)
TL;DR Civics 