Who was the first African-American senator? Who was the first woman to cast a vote in the New World? Have any gays or lesbians held state-wide office? Was 2000 a good year for women and minority office seekers? The answers to these questions are here in The Almanac of Women and Minorities in American Politics 2002. The culmination of Mart Martin’s years of diligent research, this is the first comprehensive single-volume reference to all women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, native minorities, gays, and lesbians who have served in state or national elected positions, with additional information on local elected positions. This valuable resource provides a complete, non-partisan reference on the political accomplishments of these people, as opposed to taking a biographical approach. In this volume, Mart Martin details which women and minority candidates succeeded in being elected or appointed in 2000 at the federal and state levels throughout the United States. This 2002 edition is thoroughly updated in each of the major content sections on Women, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans Native Minorities, and Gay and Lesbians.