Former Slaves Used Freedom to Restore the Republic

Eleven states had broken away from the U.S. to create a slave nation and then, after the Civil War, came back in. However, to get back in they had to take an oath of loyalty. They had to swear before Almighty God that

1. They would obey the laws pertaining to civil rights, slavery and the new constitutional amendments, and
2. Uphold the Constitution of the United States which now had the 13^th Amendment.

This was a serious oath, not only taken on the Bible or with a raised hand saying “So help me God,” but it was an oath on “the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God.” They swore an oath on Jesus Christ that they will obey the U.S. Constitution and swore on the Gospels that they will obey the civil rights laws.

The new black citizens now began to register to vote and started electing blacks to office across the south like crazy.

Because of the 13^th Amendment blacks could now enjoy their first real taste of civil rights—their first genuine opportunity for political participation. Within a year blacks were registering to vote and forming political parties throughout the south.

Here is an example.

At a rally in Houston, TX, on July 4, 1867, a total of 150 blacks and 30 whites formed the Republican Party of TX. Blacks founded other state Republican parties throughout the south. Republicans became the majority for a few years in most of the southern states.

These Republican legislatures moved quickly to protect voting rights for black Americans, prohibit segregation and establish public education, opening public transportation, state police, schools and other institutions to black Americans.

Not only were most southern state legislatures at this time Republican, but in fact for a few years nearly all of them included black legislators. The number of first black Republicans serving in state legislatures was:

• 42 in TX
• 127 in LA
• 103 in AL
• 112 in MS
• 190 in SC
• 46 in VA
• 30 in FL
• 30 in NC
• 41 in GA

The southern Democrats, of course, felt this was not fair and so were out opposing it saying, the blacks may well be free but they are not citizens of our state! They would not recognize the civil rights laws even though they had sworn to do so.

The 14^th Amendment was passed and ratified on July 9, 1868, saying, yes they are citizens! It says every freed slave now has the same rights of citizenship as every other citizen. This meant that we could now elect blacks to the federal Congress.

The first to serve in the Senate was Hiram Rhodes Revels; preacher of the Gospel, chaplain in the Civil War, who raised 3 black regiments and eventually became president of Alcorn College. The first to serve in the House of Representatives was Joseph Hayne Rainey who went on to became Speaker of the House.

This period of time, from the ending of slavery and onward in the forward progress of African Americans, was a wonderful time in our nation’s history. It was filled with wonderfully amazing people involved in tragedies and victories.

Presented on this website (at the right), Neglected Voices , are the speeches on the 1875 Civil Rights Act of the first 23 blacks to serve in the U.S. Congress. These self-educated men put me to shame. Five years previous they were slaves but now give speeches at college level or above! They were pastors and teachers and a good number of them went on to become college presidents; all in such a short period of time. Amazing!