Confederate surrender at appomattox and the assassination of president abraham lincoln. In this period of uncertainty, americans wondered how the new president , Andrew Johnson, would lead the divided nation. Many, especially African Americans, were hopeful that johnson would actively promote the cause of black equality. Black leaders, however, became disillusioned with johnson after a dramatic meeting with the president at the white house. Frederik Johnson Johnsons conflict with congress over reconstruction eventually led to his impeachment. Within the records of the National Archives is the resolution to impeach johnson written on a scrap of paper and introduced in the u. S. House of representatives. Three days later, the house voted 100 to adopt the resolution. In the failed promise, he portrays the conflicts that brought Frederick Douglass and the wider black community to reject Andrew Johnson and called for a guilty verdict in his impeachment trial. Robert s levine is the distingu