Product Overview
African Americans in Congress: A Documentary History presents an in-depth, engrossing look at the African American political experience and the history of African American legislators in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
This unique resource combines original narrative with more than 120 primary source documents, from the first steps toward enfranchisement through modern lawmakers visions for America.
The first part of African Americans in Congress consists of chronological chapters on the history of African involvement in U.S. politics, and the second part features topical chapters on the African American political experience. The issues and events covered include the following:
The debate over slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction
The civil rights movement and political empowerment
The maturation of the Congressional Black Caucus
Elections and investigations
War, peace, patriotism, and international affairs
The struggle for economic justice African Americans in Congress also tells the stories of notable lawmakers, such as Hiram R. Revels of Mississippi, the first African American senator (1870-1871); Shirley A. Chisholm of New York, the first black woman to serve in Congress (1969-1983); Charles B. Rangel of New York, a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus (1971-present); and Barack Obama of Illinois, the only African American senator in the 110th Congress (2005-present). The appendixes contain lists of African Americans in the 110th Congress and those since the 41st Congress, a chronology of significant events, and an extensive bibliography.
