African-American woman sworn in to Congress, makes history

WASHINGTON (AP) - Lisa Blunt Rochester is now the first African-American and woman to represent Delaware in Congress.

Rochester was sworn in Tuesday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives as the state’s lone congresswoman. Rochester was elected to the seat being vacated by Delaware’s Gov.-elect John Carney.

She hosted a reception Tuesday with fellow elected officials and supporters at the Library of Congress.

Media outlets report that Rochester told supporters that the significance of her election isn’t lost on her. She reflected on a document that shows the “X’’ her great-great-great-grandfather, a former slave, signed to vote in Georgia during the Reconstruction Era, saying it represents “where we’ve come from.”