History of the Congressional Black Caccus

            African-American's did not appear in the United States Congress until the 81st congress in 1870. This shows that African-American's had an struggle with getting into Congress in the early years. From the very beginning, black had proven their willingness to the American government when they fought in the Civil War. Over 200,000 blacks fought in the Civil War with the Union Army. #Even though they fought for the Union Army, they still did not have any rights as Americans. In 1865, the thirteenth Amendment was ratified and abolished slavery in America. In the south laws were passed the keep blacks from being apart of the voting system. When blacks were giving the right to vote in 1965, they still were afraid to go vote in fear of mobs blocking the polling area and the roadblocks by the police. #The first African-Americans to serve in Congress were from the states of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina. .
             When Jefferson Davis left Mississippi for the job as the President of the Confederate States of America, Reverend Hiram Rhoades Revels was elected to fill the shoes of Jefferson Davis as Senator of Mississippi. The election of Reverend Revels made him the first ever African-American United States Senator, the term was only a year and a month. More African-Americans followed Rev. Revels such as: the first African-American senator to serve a full six year term Senator Blanche K. Bruce who served as a Republican, from 1875-1881, Senator Edward W. Brooke who was also a Republican, he served from 1967-1979. The first African-American woman to serve the United States Senate was Carol Moseley-Braun, she was a Democrat from Illinois. Her term was from 1993-1998. To this present date there are not any African-Americans in the United States Senate. While Rev. Revels was making history as the first African-American Senator, Joseph Hayne Rainey was making history as the first African-American Representative.