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TRAILBLAZERS: Prominent Interracial Couples Who Paved the Way for Doug Emhoff and Wife

November 24, 2020

The Washington Post reports that incoming First Man of the United States Doug Emhoff and his "powerful, ambitious wife," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, are set to become "the first interracial couple at the highest reaches of the executive branch."

That's an achievement worth celebrating, but it's also an opportunity to highlight some of the interracial couples in American politics who helped pave the way for the incoming Second Family and its historic victory. Here are four pairs of pioneering trailblazers who helped make it possible.

1) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao

Washington power couple since 1993.

2) Clarence and Virginia Thomas

Supreme team since 1987.

3) Jeb and Columba Bush

Blazing trails since 1974.

4) Charles Curtis and Annie Baird

Baird died in 1924, four years before Curtis made history as the first person of color to be elected vice president of the United States. (Harris will be the second.)