Black History Month: Top African-American Republicans

Accomplished African-Americans have widened the GOP tent.

Over the years, the GOP has developed a reputation for not being a party of inclusion. But as these and other leaders have proven, opportunities abound, from developing strategy to securing the nation’s safety. They have landed key positions, paving the way for others to follow.—Joyce Jones

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Over the years, the GOP has developed a reputation for not being a party of inclusion. But as these and other leaders have proven, opportunities abound, from developing strategy to securing the nation’s safety. They have landed key positions, paving the way for others to follow.—Joyce Jones

Jennifer Carroll - Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll is the first African-American woman to be elected to the state's legislature.(Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity)

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Jennifer Carroll - Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll is the first African-American woman to be elected to the state's legislature.(Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity)

Ron Christie - Ron Christie, founder and president of Christie Strategies, knows the Republican Party inside out, and has served in key positions in Congress and the White House. These days, he’s frequently seen on television, sharing and explaining the GOP’s view of the world.(Photo: Ron Christie via Twitter)

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Ron Christie - Ron Christie, founder and president of Christie Strategies, knows the Republican Party inside out, and has served in key positions in Congress and the White House. These days, he’s frequently seen on television, sharing and explaining the GOP’s view of the world.(Photo: Ron Christie via Twitter)

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Tim Scott -  Since he arrived in Congress in 2011, Rep. Tim Scott has quietly evolved into a leader who is trusted by both his freshman class and the House’s top Republicans. He’s also got the ear of all his party’s presidential contenders, each of whom he hosted at forums with voters in his home state of South Carolina.(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Michael Steele - Michael Steele served one term as the Republican National Committee’s first Black chairman. Although he left under a bit of a cloud, he has since emerged as a trusted political thinker, offering sober and sound analysis of the 2012 presidential race.(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Michael Steele - Michael Steele served one term as the Republican National Committee’s first Black chairman. Although he left under a bit of a cloud, he has since emerged as a trusted political thinker, offering sober and sound analysis of the 2012 presidential race.(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Herman Cain - Despite several bumps on the campaign trail, Herman Cain is as optimistic as ever. "Here's the good news. We didn't drop all the way down to sixth or seventh. We dropped to third" in the polls, he told Fox News Channel.(Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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Herman Cain - Herman Cain was, for a while, the Republican Party’s improbable presidential frontrunner. Unsavory allegations about his past derailed his campaign, but Cain remains a Tea Party favorite who may need some convincing this fall if Mitt Romney is named the Republican nominee.(Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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Colin Powell - Gen. Colin Powell has racked up a series of impressive firsts over his lifetime on his own merits and as a member of the Republican Party. Some may consider him a traitor for having the courage to endorse Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, but it’s that courage that has made him one of the nation’s most highly respected Republicans among people of all ideologies.(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IRC)

Photo By Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for IRC

Condoleezza Rice - Few African-Americans, let alone African-American women, have reached the height of power achieved by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.(Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Glamour Magazine)

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Condoleezza Rice - Few African-Americans, let alone African-American women, have reached the height of power achieved by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.(Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Glamour Magazine)

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Allen West - Since joining the U.S. House of Representatives, Congress in 2011, Florida Rep. Allen West’s colorful and often controversial remarks have raised both headlines and eyebrows.(Photo: Courtesy west.house.gov)

Michael Williams - Michael Williams is the Texas commissioner of education. He previously led the Texas Railroad Commission, which is the state's oldest regulatory body. Under President George H.W. Bush, he served as deputy assistant secretary for law enforcement at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and as an assistant secretary of education for civil rights.  (Photo: REUTERS/Rick Wilkin)

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Michael Williams - Former Texas Railroad commissioner Michael Williams is the first African-American to hold an executive statewide elected position in Texas history. He was appointed to the commission, which actually regulates the state’s oil and natural gas industries, by then-Gov. George W. Bush in 1999, and then was elected to the post 3 times until he resigned in 2011. He is currently running for a House seat in the U.S. Congress.(Photo: REUTERS/Rick Wilking)

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Crystal Wright - Crystal Wright is a CNN analyst, a principal owner of the Baker Wright Group public relations firm and founder of the Web site, Conservative Black Chick. (Photo: Crystal Wright/ConservativeBlackChick.com)

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Crystal Wright - Crystal Wright is a CNN analyst, a principal owner of the Baker Wright Group public relations firm and founder of the Web site, Conservative Black Chick. (Photo: Crystal Wright/ConservativeBlackChick.com)

Stefani Carter, Texas Railroad Commissioner - State Rep. Stefani Carter has launched a campaign for Texas Railroad commissioner. It could be the first step in building a statewide coalition. If elected in 2014, she would be the first Black woman to serve on the commission. The Dallas Republican was the first Black woman Republican elected to the Texas state legislature.  (Photo: Courtesy of Stefani Carter)

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Stefani Carter - Stephani Carter is a Republican member of the Texas State House of Representatives.(Photo: Courtesy carterfortexas.com)

Shannon Reeves - Shannon Frank Reeves is the managing partner of Reeves Strategies, LLC, a government affairs, corporate relations and political consulting firm. He was elected to the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee in 2011 and is a senior adviser to the state party’s chairman on African-American Affairs.(Photo: Courtesy shannonreeves.com)

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Shannon Reeves - Shannon Frank Reeves is the managing partner of Reeves Strategies, LLC, a government affairs, corporate relations and political consulting firm. He was elected to the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee in 2011 and is a senior adviser to the state party’s chairman on African-American Affairs.(Photo: Courtesy shannonreeves.com)

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Clarence Thomas - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is the second African-American to serve on the nation’s highest court. He was appointed by former President George H.W. Bush to replace the retiring Thurgood Marshall, who, in many ways, is his polar opposite.(Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Photo By Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Lynn Swann - Former Pittsburgh Steeler and Super Bowl champion Lynn Swann in 2006 launched an unsuccessful bid to become governor of Pennsylvania.  (Photo: Courtesy United States Department of Health and Human Services)

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Lynn Swann - Former Pittsburgh Steeler and Super Bowl champion Lynn Swann in 2006 launched an unsuccessful bid to become governor of Pennsylvania.  (Photo: Courtesy United States Department of Health and Human Services)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy United States Department of Health and Human Services

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Don King - Boxing promoter Don King was an ardent supporter of President George W. Bush and said, during Bush’s re-election campaign, that he liked to tell Black Americans that by “voting for George Bush, you’re voting for yourself. We can go back to being Democrats in the next election.”(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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Don King - Boxing promoter Don King was an ardent supporter of President George W. Bush and said, during Bush’s re-election campaign, that he liked to tell Black Americans that by “voting for George Bush, you’re voting for yourself. We can go back to being Democrats in the next election.”(Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Rod Paige - Rod Paige served as the nation’s seventh secretary of the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.(Photo: Courtesy rodpaige.com)

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Rod Paige - Rod Paige served as the nation’s seventh secretary of the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.(Photo: Courtesy rodpaige.com)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy rodpaige.com

Alan Keyes - Alan Keyes is a former United Nations ambassador who ran for president of the United States in 1996, 2000 and 2008, and was a Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992 and 2004.(Photo: Courtesy keyesarchives.com)

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Alan Keyes - Alan Keyes is a former United Nations ambassador who ran for president of the United States in 1996, 2000 and 2008, and was a Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992 and 2004.(Photo: Courtesy keyesarchives.com)

Ryan Frazier - Ryan Frazier, a former member of the Aurora City Council, is considered to be an up-and-comer in the Colorado Republican Party.(Photo: Courtesy frazierforcolorado.com)

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Ryan Frazier - Ryan Frazier, a former member of the Aurora City Council, is considered to be an up-and-comer in the Colorado Republican Party.(Photo: Courtesy frazierforcolorado.com)

Tara Wall - Tara Wall is a former Republican National Committee outreach director and provides news and analysis on cable news programs and the Web site, tara’s two cents.(Photo: Courtesy tarastwocents.com)

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Tara Wall - Tara Wall is a former Republican National Committee outreach director and provides news and analysis on cable news programs and the Web site, tara’s two cents.(Photo: Courtesy tarastwocents.com)