BATON ROUGE - After officially taking the oath of office in January, Congressman Cleo Fields was symbolically sworn in Monday as the representative of the newly redrawn Sixth Congressional District at a ceremony held at his alma mater Southern University. 

The event was hosted by the Louisiana Leadership Institute, which was founded by Fields in 1993.

Fields said that he believes it is important for other prospective politicians looking to walk a similar path to have a vision and know success is achievable.

"That's why I wanted these young people to know that it's real, you can be a member of Congress. Thirty-two years ago when I was elected into Congress, it was under the same conditions I'm elected now," Fields said. "It's always a struggle. It's always a fight. I want them to know when they get knocked down they can get back up."

Fields was 29 when elected to represent Louisiana's District 4 in 1992, the youngest congressperson in the 103rd Congress. Fields served that post for two terms.

Now, Fields represents the recently redrawn Sixth Congressional District — the state's second Black-majority district. It extends from Baton Rouge to Shreveport.

"Twenty-eight years ago, I had to face yet another challenge, the challenge of having a district taken away, and I now stand before you claiming my time," Fields said.

Fields said that he now stands on the shoulders of those who paved a path for him, allowing him to carry the torch for future generations.

"Knowing that the first black person ever elected to Congress was from Louisiana, and the tragedy of it all he never got a chance to take his seat because Congress voted against him," he said, referencing John Willis Menard's 1869 election. "So, when I walk into those halls I feel a real sense of responsibility."

The U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, was at the ceremony and helped symbolically swear Fields in. Jeffries said it was an honor to welcome Fields back to Congress, calling the ceremony "historic."

"Cleo Fields is a living breathing example of Black excellence and resilience on full display for the young people that were here and participated in the program in such a magnificent way," Jeffries said. "Black history is both American history and living history at the same time, and the inauguration of Congressman Cleo Fields represented that in such a magnificent way."

Fields ran against four others during the November election and won by two percentage points. He is filling the seat that was previously held by Garrett Graves. 

Larry Selders will take over Fields' seat in the State Senate after winning Saturday's special election.