Who was the first u s government member that was an African american?

Question

Was it P.B.S. Pinchback?

Pinchback was a Louisiana governor, but there were African-Americans elected to local offices before him. Joseph Rainey was the first African-American to serve in the U.S. government. Check this site for more details.

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/bhmfirsts.html