Dalip Singh Saund Takes Office in Congress
Sworn in on the opening day of the 85th Congress, the Punjabi-born Californian became the first Asian American, first Indian American, and first Sikh elected to the US Congress.
On this day
January 3
Jay Kim Enters Congress
Jay Kim of California was sworn into the US House as the first Korean American member of Congress. (Shares Jan 3 with Saund, Duckworth, and Harris.)
Mazie Hirono Enters the US Senate
Mazie Hirono of Hawaii was sworn into the US Senate as the first Asian American woman senator, the first immigrant woman senator, and the first senator born in Japan. (Shares Jan 3-the day Congress convenes-with several other Asian American political firsts.)
Tammy Duckworth Enters Congress
Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran and double amputee born in Bangkok, took her US House seat as the first Thai American woman and first person born in Thailand in Congress, and the first woman with a disability elected to the House. (Shares Jan 3 with Dalip Singh Saund.)
Kamala Harris Enters the US Senate
Kamala Harris was sworn in as a US senator from California, the first Indian American and the second Black woman to serve in the Senate. (Shares Jan 3 with Dalip Singh Saund and Tammy Duckworth.)