Blanche Kelso Bruce March 1, 1841 – March 17, 1898 was an American politician who represented Mississippi as a Republican in the United States Senate from 1875 to 1881. Born into slavery in Prince Edward County, Virginia, he went on to become the first elected African-American senator to serve a full term Hiram R. Revels, also of Mississippi, was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Senate but did not complete a full term.