Illinois's 1st congressional district

Illinois's 1st congressional district
Name	Illinois's 1st congressional district
Representative	Jonathan Jackson
Party	Democratic
Residence	Chicago
Established	March 4, 1843
Region	Cook County
Area urban	100
Population	753,575
Population year	2020
Median income	$66,207
Ethnicity	50.5% Black, 33.5% Hispanic, 8.5% White, 4.5% Asian, 2.5% Other
Cpvi	D+25

Illinois's 1st congressional district is a United States congressional district located primarily within the city of Chicago. It is one of the most consistently Democratic districts in the nation and has been represented by an African American member of Congress since 1929. The district encompasses many of the city's South Side neighborhoods, including parts of the Loop, South Chicago, and South Shore.

History

The district was created following the Apportionment Act of 1842 and elected its first representative, Robert Smith, in 1843. Its political character was transformed during the Great Migration, becoming a center of African-American political power. The election of Oscar Stanton De Priest in 1928 made him the first African American elected to Congress in the 20th century and the first from any northern state. Subsequent representatives have included William L. Dawson, a powerful figure in the Chicago Democratic machine, and Ralph Metcalfe, a former Olympic sprinter and civil rights advocate. The district's boundaries were significantly altered by Baker v. Carr and subsequent redistricting cases to maintain a majority-minority district.

Election results

Election results in the 20th and 21st centuries have been overwhelmingly favorable to the Democratic Party. General elections are typically uncompetitive, with the decisive contest occurring in the Democratic primary. Landmark primary victories include Harold Washington's win in 1980 before he became Mayor of Chicago, and Bobby Rush's defeat of Barack Obama in the 2000 primary. In the 2022 election, Jonathan Jackson won the primary and succeeded the retiring Bobby Rush.

List of representatives

Notable representatives from the district include Oscar Stanton De Priest (1929–1935), Arthur W. Mitchell (1935–1943), the first African American Democrat elected to Congress, and William L. Dawson (1943–1970). Ralph Metcalfe (1971–1978) succeeded Dawson and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He was followed by Bennett Stewart (1979–1981), Harold Washington (1981–1983), Charles Hayes (1983–1993), Bobby Rush (1993–2023), and the current representative, Jonathan Jackson (2023–present).

Recent elections

In the 2022 election, the open seat attracted a crowded Democratic primary field including Jonathan Jackson, Karina Villa, and Pat Dowell. Jackson, the son of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, won the primary with significant support from the Congressional Black Caucus and was unopposed in the general election. The 2020 election saw incumbent Bobby Rush easily defeat his Republican challenger, Philanise White.

Demographics

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the district has a population of approximately 753,575. It is a majority-minority district, with a population that is 50.5% Black and 33.5% Hispanic, primarily of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent. Other significant groups include White (8.5%) and Asian (4.5%) residents. The district includes diverse neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Back of the Yards, and Beverly.

Historical district boundaries

The district's geographic composition has changed dramatically over time, initially covering a large area of northern Illinois before being compressed into Chicago. Key redistricting cycles followed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 1990 Census, which led to the creation of a gerrymandered district stretching from the Loop south to include parts of Cook County and Will County. The current map, adopted after the 2020 Census, is more compact and is contained entirely within Chicago, anchored by communities like Hyde Park and Auburn Gresham.

Category:Illinois's congressional districts Category:1843 establishments in Illinois