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Josiah Walls, Hiram Revels, Benjamin Turner, Jefferson Long...ever heard these names? I
only became familiar with them recently. These are a few of the names of the men featured
in the lithograph of the 41st and 42nd Congress in The Kinsey Collection. These men were the
first African American men to be a part of the United States Congress. Just saying that
doesn't express the magnitude of what these men accomplished. The Thirteenth Amendment,
which abolished slavery, was ratified in 1865. A couple years later, these men were able
to become a part of a government that a short time earlier, had viewed them as property,
not men. But it's not their election to office that is the most impressive. It's what they
endured and struggled through before they joined Congress that blows my mind. Josiah
Walls fought in the Civil War and became a U.S. Senator from Florida in 1871. Even though
he won fairly, the vote was contested by his white competitor, and soon after he lost his
seat. But when others would have stopped there, Walls decided to run again, and this time,
he kept his seat and served a full term. You see, Josiah even survived an assassination
attempt on his life, but he continued to stand for what he believed in. The opportunity for
African Americans to be a part of the U.S. government. With all of the risk and struggle
involved, what if these men decided being a Congressman wasn't worth it? Life was better,
and much easier in the background. What would our world look like today if these men had
not chosen to change the way the nation viewed African Americans? I believe these men are
a part of the hard work and dedication that made the election of Barack Obama possible.
What people often forget is African American history is American history. I'm sure there
are many more of these wonderful inspiring stories that we don't often get to hear about
and some them may just come from your own family. Dig into your own family history and
celebrate the great accomplishments and heritage that make us who we all are today.