The story of how African Americans come to congress is not an easy story. We had many serve, we had how story. But it has to do with, the role of congress and during the civil war and in the decade after, and during the civil war there was a group of radicals in congress, radicals because they believed in the equality of African Americans and wanted to create a society in the south after the war, that was a most racial society. These were radicals in the house, like fadi is stevens, who is chairman of the ways and means committee. And was a leader, also people like henry winter davis, elijah wash burn. The senate, Charles Sumner, an andrew wade. And they really drove the agenda, and push the lincoln administration, to not only prosecute the war more vigorously, but also to have a reconstruction after the war, that was one that was not so lenient towards Southern States. That would assure Political Rights were extended to African Americans. Also the war ends in 1865, but how do you get from 1865, to the first African American members of congress. It doesnt happen right that day. No it doesnt happen right away, but the role of the radicals, in anything becomes even more assertive, after the end of the war. After lincoln is assassinated, president johnson, takes over and has an even more lenient view than lincoln, of how the Southern States will be readmitted. And he is pushed constantly by the radical republicans. And in a very short period of time, roughly four or five years, they passed a series of constitutional amendments, and also law, in order to bring about the quality of African Americans in the south. That starts in 1865, with the passage of the 13th amendment. And that is ratified later that year. Banning slavery, at lowing outline slavery once and for all in the u. S. Followed by major legislation, like the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Which extended, Citizenship Rights to the friedman. And then subsequently, constitutional, like the 14th amendment which guaranteed Citizenship Rights. And the 15th amendment which guaranteed voting rights. Then a city series of reconstruction acts, that divided the south and military districts, and gave power to Union Generals to run those districts politically essentially. Set up elections and ensure that African Americans could come to the polls. Under the new laws, and amendments that have been passed. In the house collection, we have a number of images, prince falsely from news weeklies. Example heres one right here, from 1866, the scene outside the gallery of the passage of that Civil Rights Act. Thats what were talking about in 1866 and it is great jubilation. We have some of the passage of those amendments that youre talking about. And other Civil Rights Act. In all of them people seem very excited, and delighted at this level of progress. So, its certainly being portrayed in the public eye as something that is wonderful and great and terrific. So then it is a lag of a few years . From those things being passed to then states being able to elect African American members . So what goes into place in the Southern States, is our republican, reconstruction government. And at that point, by the late 18 sixties, that you begin to see a number of African Americans have officeholders, who they move up in positions of local authority. Other town councils, in the state legislatures, and they gain a political role and a political voice and a number of the African Americans who serve in this time period that is how they come up through the ranks very quickly. And move up into positions where they can then be elected to congress. So who is the first African American in the house . Well the first African American, to speak on the floor in the house of representatives, while the house is still in session, is actually a man who was elected, but never ceded. John willis mannered. From louisiana, that was elected in 1868, and his election was contested. Thats a story that runs throughout the 19th century for so many of these African American members who are elected to congress. Their election, was challenged. And a number of them had that experience, and maynard was in february of 1869, allowed to speak on the house floor, to defend himself and is his contested election case. The house chose not to see him or his opponent. And he never was seated. But he won the election, and the house just exercised its there right not to see him. The first African American who is elected to the house, and seated in the house is joseph rainy of South Carolina. In december of 1870. And following him, are another 19 after 19 African American members. Throughout the course of the 19th century. He was not the first active African American in congress. That basically goes to someone hero in mississippi. He came into congress in early 1870. When you think about that revelation that occurs, within a matter of less than a decade, so rainy had been born into slavery. During the civil war, he had been conscripted into the Confederate Army to dig trenches around charleston. Where he was from. He escapes to bermuda, during the war. Comes back after the war. Gains a political experience, and within a decade, he is holding the seat of a former confederate slave holder. And the other story is the same, he was born as a fried man. He was never a slave. But he too comes into the senate, and occupies a seat, that had been held by a slave holder a decade less than a decade before. When you think about the great paradoxes in American History, that is one of them. They come to the capital and Matthew Brady studio. If you were to see the whole thing he would see that they looked represent African American constituencies and they are doing it after those seats have been given up during succession and slaveowners that is amazing like the same chair, and ive read a little bit about reconstruction and its interesting the sort of very small brotherhood of men who are serving no right the same curtain background that matthew in those early 18 seventies we have a print that has five of them right here they include high room and you can see bradys is for every congressman. Cant swing a cat,. ,,. ,. , without seeing it 19th century member of Congress Sitting these chairs. Its very interesting to see that during this reconstruction period there really is that sense that these people a civil war and it really seems like its a huge pivot thats happened let some of this representation of them. For African Americans and historians talk about this the reconstruction period really is the second American Revolution in which political roots rights will extend of this group would be an excluded force. Along rainy and rebels there are two careers in the senate respectively really embodied the experiences of the African Americans who served in this time period. Their service was to a great degree largely symbolic service. Rebels only serves a very short time in the senate. Usually goes on the speaking circuit around the country hands introduced everywhere as the 15th amendment inflection blood, the embodiment of African American voting rights. Rainy to was a symbol to for African Americans. These were man who not only represented there are small districts or other states in the and the constituents are but they represented African Americans nationally and they were a source of pride. Thats reflected in the material culture. Rainy serves for almost eight years in the house. Hes the longest serving African American during the 19th and reconstruction period. He establishes a couple of firsts. Is the first African American to preside over the house while its in session. That happens in 1874. As experience though is typical of a lot of these other individuals who come to the house in relative small numbers. The high point in terms of the number of African Americans as the 43rd congress mid 18 seventies. Theres only six or seven African Americans in congress at that point. So they are really too small of a group to drive any sort of legislative agenda and where they do contribute to legislation is to come out and speak on behalf of their constituents and their Political Rights. The abuses against those Political Rights as well in the reconstruction era south. So they tend to get very eloquent speeches about some of the major bills like the 1875 Civil Rights Act which again is a piece of legislation not many people think about today when you think Civil Rights Act. Its a Civil Rights Act of 1964. What that belong 1875 wouldve done is essentially the same thing isnt 1964 bill did. It wouldve granted equality and in accommodations, and public travel and also in schools. A lot of these African Americans and south in South Carolina, mississippi, alabama got up and spoke on behalf of this bill, particularly the education provision which wouldve provided an equal playing field. That provision sadly is stripped out of the bill at the very end of the congress. This was a bill that have been champion by charles someone, of the senator from massachusetts and supported by benjamin butler, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the house. A lot of these men gave very moving testimony on the house floor but legislation. I have a question about and another object we have in the collection because rebels are skis me rebels and rainy are the first of, the ones i think about, although there are these other 19 folks. One of them is Robert Browne ali right here. This is from Frank Leslies illustrating newspaper were a lot of the 19th century stuff that we have in the house collection that tells us about whats going on in the house and what the public is reading what theyre seeing, this is one of the rare ones in which is a African American member whos given a little portrait right there on the pages, right next to any number of other things that are going on this is a news of the. Day so tell me little bit about robert elliott. Elliott is one of the interesting members. Hes from South Carolina and the majority of African American members in the nineties such a come from South Carolina. There are Seven Members largely from that state. Largely because its a largely majority African American population. There is support for a black candidate. Elliott is used to wonderful order hes one of these people who invented himself as he went along. You get the sense that he was a true character but he had a great classical education. He came up after reconstruction, he worked on a newspaper, had some journalism background and then it moves up into the state assembly in South Carolina. He comes to the house for two terms in the early 18 seventies. He is one of the man who comes on the floor and talks about the importance of top passing the 1875 civil rights bill. He gives some speed speeches that are picked up in the northern process and they just swoon over him. One of the in one of the speeches, its kind of a Counter Point debate with alexander stevens, the former confederate Vice President was by that point come back to the house and elliott just blows him out of the water. Is so respected and hes such an ally of senator Charles Sumner that when summer passes shortly before his bill moves through the house and senate, elliott goes and delivers a eulogy at federal hall in boston which also has widely picked up in the northern press. He leads the house actually myth congress in his second term and he goes back to South Carolina because he cares so much about state politics and is watching the way things are trending towards the end of reconstruction. Hes seeing a lot of abuses against black political participation in voting rights. If you comes a speaker of the South Carolina state assembly for a brief period. He later goes on to serve at the fairytale and reconstruction for attorney general of South Carolina. Afterwards though his story typifies so many of these members. Once reconstruction ends, where you have a guy who is a great speaker, got a law background, sets up a lot of factors, but it gets almost no business and hes forced to move out of state. Eventually in the mid 19 eighties 18 eighties, he dies in poverty. And that sadly the story of so many of these 19th century individuals would leave congress and then with the onset of jim crow, their careers just dry up. That speaks to the larger political ramifications of the end of reconstruction and what that meant for black political participation. Wanted to point out something to you something that i find very interesting is a curating curator in is a story in. Without works the way the jim crow ends up being propagated some ways in the press so the you get no business because of racism and because of joe jim crow and because its reinforced in the popular press. As we move into the jim crow period, the press and the public what the public sees African Americans the way its presented to them really changes. And moves much more towards the caricature is that we are familiar with from the very beginning of the 20th century. So this is the 18 eighties, by 1889, and this showing a little vignettes of whats going on in the capital and a very interesting time. Period instead of a picture with civil war veterans and interested women and African American children and adults celebrating outside as citizens who are excited about a new venture and the passage of the civil rights bill, here were seeing lots of Different Things going on. The very style of it has become more like a cartoon. In particular, i want to draw your attention to the circular area here in which they are showing African American cars in the visitors gallery, its called a gentlemans gallery. It is the name of a gallery the house at that time but its used its, dripping with sarcasm. Its showing almost entirely African Americans in there and the accompanying essay about it points out what it wants to point out about this image. Its showing African Americans who are in the gallery but not engaged in the process. Not interested in whats going on on the floor. Showing them is reading your sleeping or using it simply as a place to hang out. Thats what the essay says as well. This is really an enormous shift in the National News coverage of African American civic life. Echoes pretty quickly, this is only 20 years difference. From seeing us which is all over the papers at the time, and a 1880s to win it moves entirely as a character of African American participation in the world of public affairs. So the turning point happens at the end of reconstruction . Right the turning point for the story really happens with the end of reconstruction, formal reconstruction where the Union Military forces occupy the south and had kept the reconstruction governments in place. Thats roll back in 1877 as part of the disputed election of 1876 between Samuel Tilden and rutherford hayes. That election gets through the congress to decide. What happens is the house in the senate are controlled by different Political Parties may cant come to an agreement as to the house deciding. So they created special Electoral Commission composed of five senators, five supreme justices. In the results that come back, there were three Southern States that had disputed returns. W