Heroes of the American Reconstruction

The history of post–Civil War Reconstruction wasn’t written by the winners. Congress forced Reconstruction on an unrepentant South steeped in resentment and hatred, where the old guard and old attitudes still held sway, murder and depredations against freed slaves and sympathizers were rampant, and “black laws” swapped the physical bonds of slavery for legislative ones. During Reconstruction, talented black leaders rose to serve in Congress and in state and local governments. Blacks and whites struggled together to secure the rights of millions of freed slaves, now citizens, and to heal the wounds of a shattered nation. Many Reconstruction figures have been misrepresented, dismissed, or simply forgotten. These biographical sketches profile 16 diverse men and women whose Reconstruction efforts should not be overlooked.

Stanley Turkel is a hotel consultant and owner living in Flushing, New York. His articles have appeared in Hotel Interactive and Hotel-Online.

Stanley Turkel
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 192
Bibliographic Info: photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2009 [2005]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4250-8
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

1. Background of Reconstruction      5

2. Adelbert Ames (1835–1933)      13

Medal of Honor Winner, General, Senator, Governor

3. Samuel Chapman Armstrong (1839–1893)      20

Union Army General and Founder of Hampton Institute

4. Blanche Kelso Bruce (1841–1898)      34

First African American to Serve a Full Term in the U.S. Senate

5. Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810–1903)      44

Firebrand of Freedom, Abolitionist, Ambassador to Russia

6. Robert Brown Elliott (1842–1884)      52

Distinguished Lawyer, Eloquent Orator, Racial Militant

7. Charlotte Forten Grimké (1837–1914)      59

Abolitionist, Educator, Journal Author

8. Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823–1911)      67

Militant Abolitionist, Lifelong Activist, Man of Letters

9. John Mercer Langston (1829-1897)      75

Lawyer, Minister Resident and Consul-General, Dean and

Professor of Law at Howard University, Member of Congress

10. James Longstreet (1821–1904)      87

Confederate General, Critic of Robert E. Lee, Political Realist

11. John Roy Lynch (1847–1939)      95

An Unusual Man Living in an Unusual Time

12. Albert Talmon Morgan (1842–1922)      101

Union Officer, Radical Republican Officeholder in Mississippi, a Man Ahead of His Time

13. Albert R. Parsons (1848–1887)      111

Confederate Soldier, Republican, Haymarket Martyr

14. Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (1837–1921)      124

Riverboat Gambler, Governor of Louisiana, Lawyer, Congressman and U.S. Senator-Elect

15. Robert Smalls (1839–1915)      134

Military Hero, Political Activist, United States Congressman

16. Albion Winegar Tourgee (1838–1905)      140

Politician, Clear-eyed Analyst, Best-selling Novelist

17. George Henry White (1852–1918)      146

Educator, Lawyer, Real Estate Developer, Member of Congress

18. The End of Reconstruction      155

Notes      163

Bibliography      171

Index      179

“straightforward, unembellished narrative approach…fascinating”—The Civil War News.