Weekly Insights from Sam Fisher 🐝⚖💛 — Issue #19

Do you know Hiram Revels?

End of GOP Obstruction

To stop the GOP from blocking needed investments into our country and improve the lives of millions of Americans, we need more Democratic Senators. Let’s start with Rep. Val Demings!

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Hiram Revels: The first Black Congressman

After the Civil War, and after the Dredd Scott Supreme Court Decision, America had it’s first Black Senator. Senator Hiram Rhodes Revels was a free Black man born in North Carolina. He was educated in Ohio and Indiana, and was a preacher. He worked in many states preaching the Word and education people in Tennessee, Kansas and Kentucky.

During the Civil War Sen. Revels served as a chaplain and was at the battle of Vicksburg and Jackson in Mississippi. Amazing he was front and center to the devastation of the Civil War as a free Black man. After the war he settled in Mississippi.

He became interested in politics and got elected to various local and state positions. He caught the attention of the powers that be in Mississippi and was selected to become a senator representing his state. In these days Senators were appointed not elected. However he had many obstacles to ensure after his nomination being the first Black man to be nominated.

Southern Democrats were opposed to his being a Senator and used every foolish trick in the book to try and deny Sen. Revels his place in history. They knew the significance of having a Black man in power. Justice. They tried to deny his eligibility, his citizenship, and his seat. Obviously they failed.

Once in office he opposed segregation, supported civil rights, sought to give Confederate soldiers amnesty, and was seen as a moderate. This was 1870! We’ve been on the forefront of justice forever!

After his only term as Senator he became the President of what is now Alcorn University. Alcorn is the first land grant school for African-Americans in Americans. Sen. Revels was a great man with many firsts under his belt. Read his story below.

Hiram Revels: The first African-American congressman — National Constitution Center — constitutioncenter.org
On this day in 1870, an African-American politician was seated in the United States Senate for the first time, but only after Republican leaders rebuffed a challenge based on the infamous Dred Scott decision.

Next Week…

Next week we will discuss the media and democracy. Please stay safe, and thank you for reading!