OKC Fox Profiles Speaker Shannon
With a vote of 68 for T.W. Shannon, R-Lawton, and 28 for Scott Inman, D-Del City, a 34-year old representative entered the state history books as Oklahoma’s first African-American Speaker of the House.
“I don’t know if there’s any weight on being the first African-American, but I’m certainly honored,” he said, “My heritage is part of who I am.”
Shannon said he’s a 6th generation Oklahoman. His mother is a social worker and his father was a school teacher. The small business owner is a married father of two.