One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2003 Winner of the Race, Ethnicity, and Public Policy Best Book Award, American Political Science Association Winner of the 2004-2005 V.O. Key Book Award, Southern Political Science Association Co-Winner of the 2005 W.E.B. Du Bois Book Award, National Conference of Black Political Scientists "A thorough, thoughtful, and sophisticated discussion of the evidence... [Tate] has combined theory, hard data, and real-world politics to produce a concise and interesting work on an important issue. This scholarly yet very readable book is a must-read for students of Congress or minority group politics."--Choice "A major contribution to the field of Congressional Studies and black politics."--Lewis A. Randolph, Journal of African American History