February 3, 1947 Percival Prattis became the first African American news correspondent admitted to the press galleries of the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

A veteran of World War I, Prattis joined the Pittsburgh Courier in 1935, became editor in 1956, and retired in 1962.

He was a civil rights leader noted for his ability to unify black newspeople in the fight against discrimination of African Americans in the press. Prattis died February 29, 1980.