On November 8, he defeated Dudley once again, garnering more than 86 percent of the vote, in a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the 41st Congress. 5 Joseph Rainey was sworn in on December 12, 1870, as the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. One month later he was joined by the second black Member, Representative Jefferson Long of Georgia.
Brigadier General William H.L. Mullins is deputy director, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. General Mullins was born in Independence, Mo., in 1935.
Upon taking office, Mullen became the first naval officer to hold the Chairman's position since Admiral William Crowe, who served as Chairman prior to the enactment of the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986, and who was the immediate predecessor to Army general and later United States Secretary of State Colin Powell.