With the retirement of Illinois Senator Roland Burris and failed campaigns of Kendrick Meek (D-FL), Alvin Greene (D-SC) and Mike Thurmond (D-GA) there will be no black Senator in the U.S. Senate for the first time in this century.

In other political news, Terri Sewell of Birmingham became the first black woman to represent Alabama in Congress after winning the 7th Congressional District last night.