Who is Jennifer McClellan- first Black Congresswoman from Virginia? Know about her family, parents & net worth

Jennifer McClellan has become the first black woman from Virginia to be elected to Congress. The Democratic senator defeated Republican Leon Benjamin in Virginia’s 4th district. Rep. Don McEachin from Virginia died soon after his re-election last November, creating a vacancy in the seat. It must be noted that Jennifer McClellan’s election as Virginia’s Congresswoman doesn’t give Democrats the majority in the house. McClellan was born in a family of community leaders and educators on December 28, 1972. Both of her parents worked at Virginia State University. She currently lives in Richmond with her husband David Mills. In 2010, she became the first Virginia delegate to attend a legislative session while pregnant and give birth to a child while in office.

Jennifer McClellan’s ethnicity

With 15 years of experience in the legislature, Jennifer McClellan has become Virginia’s first black Congresswoman. She is the 30th Black woman to enter this Congress. Her parents played an active role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In order to register to vote in Alabama, McClellan's great-grandfather had to pass a literacy test and have three white persons to attest to his moral conduct. Her father paid the Tennessee poll tax in 1947.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Details about Jennifer McClellan’s parents

Jennifer McClellan’s father, James McClellan Jr., served as a professor at Virginia State University. Her mother, Lois McClellan, was appointed as a counsellor there. In 2006, their daughter McClellan made her political debut in Virginia by winning a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, where she served as the 71st District's representative until 2017.

Jennifer McClellan’s family and husband

She tied the knot with David Mills back in 2008. The wedding ceremony was officiated by her mentor Sen. Tim Kaine. She lives in Richmond with her husband and two children Jackson and Samantha.

Jennifer McClellan’s major achievements

The Voting Rights Act of Virginia was passed by McClellan in 2021 while she was a state senator; it was the first of its kind to be passed in a Southern state and was based on the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.
By eliminating outdated segregation laws from 1901 to 1960 that were still included in the state's code until 2020, she has also eliminated any trace of Jim Crow in Virginia. Under her leadership, the Virginia Values Act was also approved; bipartisan legislation that protects LGBTQ Virginians in areas like employment, housing, and public service. She also spearheaded the push to get the state's ban on same-sex marriage lifted.

Also, she amended Virginia's criminal justice system, passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the Reproductive Health Protection Act, and increased access to child care and tenant rights and protections.

Jennifer McClellan’s total net worth

Jennifer McClellan is a politician as well as a lawyer and has 15 years of experience in legislation. She has been in the Virginia Senate since early 2017. As per media reports, her total net worth is estimated to be $1 million to $7 million.