<P> Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun , also sometimes Moseley - Braun ( born August 16 , 1947 ) , is an American diplomat , politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999 . She was the first female African - American Senator , the first African - American U.S. Senator for the Democratic Party , the first woman to defeat an incumbent U.S. Senator in an election , and the first female Senator from Illinois . She was the only female U.S. Senator from Illinois until Tammy Duckworth who became the U.S. Senator from Illinois in January 2017 . From 1999 until 2001 , she was the United States Ambassador to New Zealand . She was a candidate for the Democratic nomination during the 2004 U.S. presidential election . Following the public announcement by Richard M. Daley that he would not seek re-election , in November 2010 , Braun began her campaign for Mayor of Chicago . The former Senator placed fourth in a field of six candidates , losing the February 22 , 2011 , election to Rahm Emanuel . </P>
who was the first african american woman to serve in the senate
Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun