One notable Cabinet member in Black history is Patricia Roberts Harris, who became the first African American woman to serve in the United States Cabinet. Harris was appointed as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. She later served as the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, making her the first African American to head a department with responsibilities for health, education, and welfare. Harris was a trailblazer in American politics and a champion for civil rights and equality. Her contributions to the Cabinet and to American society at large have had a lasting impact on the advancement of African Americans in positions of power and influence.