In 2008,
Barack Obama became the first African-American presidential candidate nominated by a
major party, namely
the Democrats. He was the first African-American to be
elected (and
re-elected) president of the United States.
In
2021,
Kamala Harris became the first African-American, first female, and first Indian-American vice president of the United States.
The following is a list of
African-American United States
presidential and
vice presidential nominees and candidates for nomination. Nominees are candidates
nominated or otherwise selected by
political parties for particular offices. Listed are those African-Americans who achieved
ballot access for the national election in at least one
state. They may have won the
nomination of one of the
US political parties (either one of the major parties, or one of the
third parties), or made the
ballot as an
independent, and in either case must have
votes in the
election to qualify for this list. Exception is made for candidates whose parties lost ballot status for additional runs.
Not included in the first and second sections are African-Americans who ran unsuccessful campaigns in
nominating conventions or
primary elections for their party's nomination (or who have not yet completed that process),
write-in candidates, potential candidates (suggested by media, objects of
draft movements, etc.), or fictional candidates. The third section includes African-Americans who ran for their party's presidential nomination but who were not nominated, as well as those who are currently pursuing their party's presidential nomination (when applicable).
There have been two African Americans on major party tickets in U.S. history: Democratic presidential nominee
Barack Obama in
2008 and
2012 and Democratic vice presidential nominee
Kamala Harris in
2020.
Barack Obama was the first African American and first biracial president of the United States, being elected in the
2008 election and re-elected in the
2012 election.
Kamala Harris became the first African American vice president of the United States of America, being elected in the 2020 election alongside President
Joe Biden. She is also the first female vice president. She is the second biracial vice president, the first being Charles Curtis.
U.S. presidential candidates: party nominees
† Denotes winning candidate.
Candidates receiving electoral votes
African-American presidential nominees, showing running mate and electoral votes received
U.S. president: other candidates for party nomination
Candidates who failed to receive their party's nomination (or who are currently campaigning for their party's nomination). Candidates who won the nomination belong in the above tables only.
African-American candidates who unsuccessfully sought presidential nomination
^Colin Powell did not run for president in 2016. He received the votes of 3
faithless electors from
Washington. Powell, a Republican, had endorsed Democratic candidate
Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election and received his electoral votes from Democratic electors.
^Does not include 27,887 votes cast for the party's ticket in California and Utah, where Cleaver's name did not appear on the ballot because he was under 35 years old.
^
abIn 2004 and 2008, Harris served as a stand-in nominee for the Socialist Workers Party in states where the party's main presidential nominee,
Róger Calero, was ineligible because he was not a natural-born citizen.
In 2008,
Barack Obama became the first African-American presidential candidate nominated by a
major party, namely
the Democrats. He was the first African-American to be
elected (and
re-elected) president of the United States.
In
2021,
Kamala Harris became the first African-American, first female, and first Indian-American vice president of the United States.
The following is a list of
African-American United States
presidential and
vice presidential nominees and candidates for nomination. Nominees are candidates
nominated or otherwise selected by
political parties for particular offices. Listed are those African-Americans who achieved
ballot access for the national election in at least one
state. They may have won the
nomination of one of the
US political parties (either one of the major parties, or one of the
third parties), or made the
ballot as an
independent, and in either case must have
votes in the
election to qualify for this list. Exception is made for candidates whose parties lost ballot status for additional runs.
Not included in the first and second sections are African-Americans who ran unsuccessful campaigns in
nominating conventions or
primary elections for their party's nomination (or who have not yet completed that process),
write-in candidates, potential candidates (suggested by media, objects of
draft movements, etc.), or fictional candidates. The third section includes African-Americans who ran for their party's presidential nomination but who were not nominated, as well as those who are currently pursuing their party's presidential nomination (when applicable).
There have been two African Americans on major party tickets in U.S. history: Democratic presidential nominee
Barack Obama in
2008 and
2012 and Democratic vice presidential nominee
Kamala Harris in
2020.
Barack Obama was the first African American and first biracial president of the United States, being elected in the
2008 election and re-elected in the
2012 election.
Kamala Harris became the first African American vice president of the United States of America, being elected in the 2020 election alongside President
Joe Biden. She is also the first female vice president. She is the second biracial vice president, the first being Charles Curtis.
U.S. presidential candidates: party nominees
† Denotes winning candidate.
Candidates receiving electoral votes
African-American presidential nominees, showing running mate and electoral votes received
U.S. president: other candidates for party nomination
Candidates who failed to receive their party's nomination (or who are currently campaigning for their party's nomination). Candidates who won the nomination belong in the above tables only.
African-American candidates who unsuccessfully sought presidential nomination
^Colin Powell did not run for president in 2016. He received the votes of 3
faithless electors from
Washington. Powell, a Republican, had endorsed Democratic candidate
Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election and received his electoral votes from Democratic electors.
^Does not include 27,887 votes cast for the party's ticket in California and Utah, where Cleaver's name did not appear on the ballot because he was under 35 years old.
^
abIn 2004 and 2008, Harris served as a stand-in nominee for the Socialist Workers Party in states where the party's main presidential nominee,
Róger Calero, was ineligible because he was not a natural-born citizen.