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Hiram Revels Becomes First Black U.S. Senator
- Mississippi's legislature elected Hiram Revels as the first Black U.S. senator, filling a seat once held by Jefferson Davis.
- Democrats tried to block him citing Dred Scott, but Senate confirmation passed along party lines.
Black Officeholders Transformed Southern Governance
- Over 1,500 Black men held Southern office during Reconstruction, roughly 15% of officeholders at the height.
- Officials instituted public schools and legal reforms, transforming daily life for freed people.
Justice John Roy Lynch Gives Freed People Recourse
- John Roy Lynch served as a 22-year-old Justice of the Peace in Natchez, offering immediate legal recourse to abused Black workers.
- His presence meant battered cooks could seek warrants and $5 fines could punish white employers.