With the upcoming upgrade of Andrea Stewart-Cousins from Minority Leader to Majority Leader in the New York State Senate, New York will become the second state after Nevada to have African-Americans leading both houses of their state legislature at the same time. She will serve at the same time as Carl Heastie, who currently serves as Speaker of the New York State Assembly. 

Nevada’s Legislature is currently led by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford and Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson. Ford will vacate his seat when he is inaugurated as the next Attorney-General of Nevada. 

The first time African-Americans led both houses of a state legislature was when Peter Groff led the Colorado Senate in 2008-2009, and Terrance Carroll subsequently served as Speaker of the Colorado House from 2009-2011. 

To date, since Reconstruction, 8 states have had African-Americans lead either one of their chambers.