Who was the first u s government member that was an African american?

Was it P.B.S. Pinchback?

Pinchback was a Louisiana governor, but there were African-Americans elected to local offices before him. Joseph Rainey was the first African-American to serve in the U.S. government. Check this site for more details.

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/bhmfirsts.html

You are correct that P.B.S. Pinchback was the first African American to serve as a governor in the United States. However, he was not the first African American to hold a position in the U.S. government.

The first African American to serve in the U.S. government was actually Joseph Rainey. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina in 1870. Rainey served in Congress for six years and was a significant figure during the Reconstruction era.

To find this information, you can refer to reliable sources such as history books, encyclopedias, or trusted websites like Factmonster (http://www.factmonster.com/spot/bhmfirsts.html) that provide information about historical events and figures. These sources will help you find accurate and detailed information about specific individuals and their contributions to the U.S. government.