Final answer:
Determining the number of African Americans who practice Buddhism is complex as Buddhists do not typically belong to formal congregations. In the U.S., Buddhist representation in the 117th Congress is 0.4%, but specific demographics about African American Buddhists are not provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
Quantifying the exact number of African Americans who follow Buddhism is challenging. This difficulty arises partly because Buddhists typically do not adhere to the congregation model seen in Christianity. Instead, their religious practices are often individual and do not necessarily require formal membership.
Within the United States, a country with approximately 500 million Buddhists of various schools and practices, there is a diverse Buddhist presence across regions, particularly in California and large East Coast cities where Asian Americans have historically migrated.
The U.S. Congress's data indicates that Buddhism makes up 0.4% of the 117th Congress's religious composition, suggesting a small but present representation at the federal level.
This figure does not explicitly provide the demographics of African American Buddhists; however, it does offer insight into the broader adherence to Buddhism within the country's leadership. Buddhism's egalitarian ideals, such as the lack of castes, minimal gender roles distinction, and absence of a deity concept, may appeal to a wide range of individuals, including African Americans seeking a spiritual path aligned with these values.