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Hiram Revels Becomes First African-American Senator

Back in the day on January 20th, 1870, Hiram Rhodes Revels became the first African-American to be elected to the United States Senate. Born in North Carolina, the Christian minister and educator was, ironically, chosen to fill the long vacated seat of former Mississippi Senator and one-time President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis. Occuring during Reconstruction and during a time when Senatorial seats were not subject to popular elections, Revels overwhelmingly secured the vote of the Mississippi State Legislature. The pioneering African-American lawmaker predictably faced racist opposition when trying to take his rightful place in Washington D.C. the following month. Pre-dating the “birthers,” Southern conservative Democrats charged that since the Civil Rights Act of 1866 had only been law for four years, Revels had not been a citizen for the nine years required by the Senate. Such arguments were rightfully dismissed as Revels took his seat following a vote of 48 to 8 to confirm him.

In a sad and telling note on institutional racism, only five African-Americans have followed Revels to the Senate since his brief term ended in 1871.

For Uprising, this is your truth professa’ saying it’s no mystery why they conceal our people’s history