Few if any people, and certainly no other member of Congress, is as responsible for Joe Biden becoming president than James Clyburn, a minister’s son and former civil rights activist who is the House majority whip and the highest-ranking Black person in the House. While he holds a partisan position, Clyburn said as Biden prepared to take office that he wanted to see both parties work together. After college, Clyburn taught high school social studies and worked at the state employment office. He worked as an aide to Democratic Gov. John West and West appointed Clyburn to the state Human Affairs Commission, where he served until he left to run for Congress.

Learn what Jim Clyburn says about finding common ground