Lauren Underwood To Be Youngest Black Woman Sworn In To Congress

NAPERVILLE, IL --- When you look at the photos of Congresswoman-elect Lauren Underwood has shared of her first days in Washington D.C., you can't help but see the childlike wonder in her eyes. Underwood, who wrote that she "teared up" during the national anthem, is, after all, making history. The 32-year-old Naperville Democrat, who beat out incumbent Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14) to take his seat in the House of Representatives, will be the youngest black woman to serve in Congress when she takes the oath of office in January, according to Chicago Tribune.

Underwood, who mused while campaigning that she was "just a nurse from Naperville," also made local history with her win as the first woman to be elected to represent the 14th District.

Before Underwood, Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-Texas), held the distinction of being the youngest black woman elected to Congress in Nov. 1972. Jordan was 36 when she was sworn in; Underwood will be just a few months past her 32nd birthday.

Since delivering her victory speech on Nov. 6, Underwood has not slowed down. She was recently interviewed by Rachel Maddow and CNN's Chris Cuomo before landing in Washington D.C. to join the other Congresspeople-elect who made this year's election so momentous.

With her history-making win, Underwood joins several other females who will make history when they're sworn in to Congress on Jan. 3. These include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman to serve on Congress and Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who are the first Muslim women elected to Congress.

Underwood doesn't plan to rest on her laurels. In a post to her campaign's Facebook page, she wrote,"We must be a beacon of hope. We must lead by example. And we must work together to get it done."

Image credit: Lisa Farver, Patch

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