463 pages
English language
Published Dec. 31, 2008 by Houghton Mifflin Co..
the epic story of Reconstruction through the lives of the first Black congressmen
463 pages
English language
Published Dec. 31, 2008 by Houghton Mifflin Co..
Pulitzer Prize finalist Philip Dray shines a light on a little known group of men: the nation's first black members of Congress. These men played a critical role in pushing for much-needed reforms in the wake of a traumatic civil war, including public education for all children, equal rights, and protection from Klan violence. But they have been either neglected or maligned by most historians--their "glorious failure" chalked up to corruption and "ill-preparedness."--From publisher description.