Final answer:
The composition of the U.S. Congress has become more representative over the years, with historical demographics disparities prevailing. African American incumbents in Congress have been strategic in their roles, reflecting African American culture and interests through both symbolic and substantive representation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question regarding the requirement that at least one member of the board must be African American touches on issues of representation within government bodies. This topic aligns with studies related to racial and ethnic representation in political positions, a vital part of Social Studies, and specifically, political science and civil rights history.
The percentage of African Americans in the U.S. Congress has seen gradual changes over the years. For instance, in recent decades, Congress has become more descriptively representative of the myriad racial and ethnic backgrounds found in the United States. As of the 117th Congress, which began in January 2021, there was a historically large number of minority representatives including sixty-two African Americans, although there remained a significant disparity compared to the overall demographics of the country.