Chancellor Jeffrey Robinson and James Jones, Faculty Expert on Politics and Race, Discuss His Book, “The Last Plantation,” About Capitol Hill Staff

In the U.S. Capitol, they aren’t considered powerbrokers. But congressional staffers play a critical role in shaping U.S. laws and policies. And the nation pays a price when so few of them are Black and Latinx, according to Rutgers-Newark Professor James Jones, author of The Last Plantation: Racism and Resistance in the Halls of Congress. 

Jones, who is director of the Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America, sat down last week with Interim Chancellor Jeffrey Robinson for a conversation about his book, which explores the dynamics of race, representation, and access to power and influence on Capitol Hill. The event was held at Express Newark.

Staffers help Congress function and play a key role in decision-making by recommending which laws to approve, he explained. “They are the invisible force in American policy making. They are the machinery and mechanism through which congress works. They are the people who members of Congress trust and empower and whose expertise and advice they consider and often follow,’’ said Jones, an associate professor of Africana Studies and Sociology, who worked as a congressional intern himself in the late 2000s.   

Congressional internships provide an important entry point into an exclusive and unequal workplace, said Jones. According to his research, published in 2021, 76 percent of paid staff interns are white, even though white students comprise 52 percent of undergraduates. Black and Latino students make up 15 and 20 percent of the undergraduate population but account for 7 and  8 percent of paid interns, respectively.

To change the statistics, the Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America last year launched an effort in partnership with Braven, a nationwide career-accelerating program, to send paid interns to Capitol Hill. This year, it plans to expand the program to include internships in statewide and local political offices.

The Last Plantation is based on Jones’ research, including interviews with approximately  80 staffers.  It argues that at a time when the nation is more diverse than ever, the dearth of Black and Latinx interns helps ensure that the perspective of white leaders, especially those from privileged backgrounds, disproportionately shapes how America governs itself.

“I wanted to talk about what I consider to be one of the most significant barriers in working towards a multiracial democracy, a problem that often goes unnoticed and undiscussed,’’ Jones explained. “It’s about how racism shapes the day-to-day activities of congress, our nation’s foremost law-making institution, and the profound impact it has on the formation of legislation that shapes our entire society.”

He added, “It’s a story about exclusionary hiring practices that create a white-dominated workforce on Capitol Hill and limits who can participate in American politics.’’

After Jones finished describing his book, Robinson observed how Black and Latinx staffers, including those who aren’t interns, had circumvented Capitol Hill’s power structure to wield their own influence. The Last Plantation doesn’t portray them as victims but focuses on how they use their roles to create change, said Robinson.

He drew parallels between his own expertise on Black professionals in white-dominated workplaces. Robinson has co-authored two books with business partner and fellow Rutgers alumnus Randal Pinkett. The first, Black Faces in White Places: 10 Game-Changing Strategies to Achieve Success and Find Greatness, was published in 2010. A sequel, Black Faces in High Places: 10 Strategic Actions for Black Professionals to Reach the Top and Stay There, came out last year.

“There’s a narrative that says racism is terrible and we’re experiencing this racism and there’s nothing we can do about it. While you document what is happening, you talk about it from an empowerment perspective,’’ said Robinson. “You also talk about how it’s not just about the racism, it’s also about the resistance.’’

“These are powerful people,’’ Jones agreed. “And I don’t mean that in terms of the Chief of Staff who can whisper in members of Congress ear. I mean that as interns, the cafeteria workers, the Capitol police, they are doing big and small things to resist Congress as a white space and to actually make Congress live up to its democratic ideals. It just can’t be a simple story about racism.”

Before Jones spoke, Valerie Valle, who completed the Rutgers-Newark program as an intern for Representative Robert Menedez Jr., described her experience.

As part of her internship, Valle, who is pursuing a masters’ degree at the School of Public Policy and Administration, wrote memos, went to policy briefings, and gave tours. But one of her most important roles was writing recommendations for nearly 50 bills, several of them involving gun violence.

 “Part of my job was looking at the summary and going to the bill text, which was usually about 15 pages long. I’d ask, if this is a bill supporting education, how much money is going to the fund, who is allocating it, where is it being allocated, which group is it going to?”

“I was seeing how that translates into laws and policies that are made about our people for our people,’’ she added.

As an Afro-Latina Newarker from Menendez’s district, Valle had a first-hand understanding of constituents' concerns, she said.

“I was able to bring my unique perspectives and lived experiences to a Congressional office that serves my home district. I could connect  with constituents through familiarity and my Spanish-speaking skills,  to learn about their concerns and aid the office in providing services,’’ said Valle. 

The internship helped Valle discover how her voice and knowledge can make an impact. She is now considering a career in politics.

“I learned the transformative power of staying in your truth and bringing that to policy,’’ she said.