Question

name: class/date: unit 4 topic 1 framing question:\what are civil rights and civil liberties, and how have they been interpreted and applied over time?\ (c.10, c.10.a, c.10.c) after selecting one african american officeholder from the facing history and ourselves list. (c.2, c.6, c.6.a, c.6.b, c.10,) 1. what is the full name of the person and the state where they served? 2. what office(s) did they hold and during what years? provide dates and sources. 3. what was their background before holding office (e.g., formerly enslaved, free black, occupation, education, military service)? provide at least one primary or secondary source. 4. political activity and impact - what were the major issues or policies this person supported while in office? give at least one specific example with a source. 5. did they sponsor or vote for any notable legislation or hold a committee/administrative role? cite evidence. 6. how did state or national events (for example, the end of reconstruction, disenfranchisement laws, or violence) influence their career? cite supporting sources.

Explanation:

This response focuses on Hiram Revels, a prominent African American officeholder from the Reconstruction era, to answer all questions with cited sources.

Answer:

1. Full name and state: Hiram Rhodes Revels, Mississippi
2. Offices and years:

• U.S. Senator (Mississippi): 1870-1871

Source: U.S. Senate Historical Office, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

• Mississippi State Senate: 1869-1870

Source: Mississippi Department of Archives and History

1. Background before office:

• Born free in North Carolina; worked as a minister, teacher, and served as a chaplain for the Union Army's 55th Massachusetts Colored Infantry during the Civil War.

Source: Eric Foner, Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 (secondary source)

1. Political activity and impact:

• Advocated for the full integration of Black Americans into U.S. society, including pushing for the admission of Black students to West Point. He argued that Black soldiers had earned equal access to military education.

Source: Congressional Globe, 41st Congress, 2nd Session (primary source, 1871)

1. Notable legislation/roles:

• Served on the Senate Committee on Education and Labor. He voted for the Civil Rights Act of 1870, which enforced voting rights for Black Americans.

Source: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes, 41st Congress

1. Influence of national events:

• The end of the Civil War and Reconstruction-era federal policies (like the 14th and 15th Amendments) created the legal framework for Black political participation, allowing him to run for and hold office. The rise of white supremacist violence in Mississippi later undermined Reconstruction, leading to the end of his Senate term and the rollback of Black political power in the state.

Source: Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 by Eric Foner