AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS DURING

RECONSTRUCTION
 What key political Who were some of
What changes did
offices did black the significant black
Republican control
state and local congressional
bring to the South?
leaders hold? leaders?

THE EMERGENCE OF BLACK POLITICAL LEADERS

STATE AND LOCAL
LEADERS
 Under Congressional
Reconstruction, Political power
in the South shifted.
 Black voters outnumbered white
voters in five southern states.
 Reconstruction Acts required
states to hold state conventions
 Black voters outnumbered
white voters
 Louisiana and an equal
number of delegates
 South Carolina had a
majority black delegates
FIRST COLORED
SENATOR AND
REPRESENTATIVES
 During Reconstruction
more than 1,500 African Often Community and
Americans served in state Church leaders
or local offices.

AFRICAN Black leaders in political

AMERICANS office tended to be better
educated and wealthier
Gained political experience
by participating in black
GAIN POLITICAL than most African American conventions
in the South.
OFFICE
Most likely were free
before the war than
enslaved.
 Hiram Revels Blanche K Bruce Joseph Rainey Robert B. Elliot

First Black Senator, First Black Senator to First black Lawyer, held several
Mississippi serve a full six-year Representative; served state offices, tried to
term, Mississippi 3 terms (escaped take the vote away
slavery during Civil from all southern
War) white men.

BLACK CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS

REPUBLICAN CONTROL IN THE SOUTH

New state governments

repealed the Black Codes

Some states made discrimination

in public places illegal

Improved state services and • Established public school system

facilities • Built hospitals, orphanages, and mental institutions, roads.

• Issued bonds and raised taxes, particularly on landowners

Raising Money
• Decreased taxes for poor southern farmers
BLACK INSTITUTIONS

 Churches served as community centers

 Church leaders became important community leaders
 Southern Black Colleges
 Morehouse College, Georgia → Ministers and
Teachers
 Howard University, Washington → Named after the
head of the Freedmen’s Bureau
 Hampton Institute, Virginia → Job training
 Fisk University, Nashville → founded by the American
Missionary Association
 AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS DURING RECONSTRUCTION
STORYBOOK
Directions: Research one of the following African Americans leaders during Reconstruction using the online storybook
template to create a storybook showing the life of a famous African-American politician during reconstruction.
 Blanche K Bruce
 Hiram C Revels
 John R Lynch
 Joseph Rainey
 James T Rapier
 Robert Smalls
 Josiah T. Walls
 Oscar J Dunn
 PBS Pinchback
 Jonathan C Gibbs
AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS STORYBOOK
4- Advanced 3- Proficient 2- Basic 1- Below Basic
Book shows mastery of Shows proficiency in all Shows basic Missing major sections.
African American leaders are areas. Contains all understanding of African Shows little to no
during reconstruction four pages, images, and Americans leaders during understanding of
and demonstrates clear, explains required Reconstruction. African Americans
independent, and information. Does show Contains most images, during Reconstruction.
creative thinking. It must some independent explains more than half Shows no independent
be beautiful and clearly thought. Is well put of the required thought.
show the time and care together and shows information, and shows
that went into it. Goes clear effort. Contains little independent
above and beyond by some outside research thought. Shows little
including outside and a good conclusion. effort and that it was
research, pictures, and quickly put together.
etc.