One important U.S. Senator in Black history is Hiram Rhodes Revels. Revels was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate. He represented the state of Mississippi from 1870 to 1871 during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. Revels was a minister and a strong advocate for civil rights and education for African Americans. His election to the Senate was a significant milestone in the struggle for equality and representation in American politics.