Revels Takes Seat: First Black Senator Sworn In
Hiram Rhodes Revels took his oath as a Republican from Mississippi, shattering the racial barrier that had excluded Black men from the highest legislative body for decades. His seating forced the nation to confront the reality of Reconstruction, proving that African Americans could immediately assume full citizenship and political power in the federal government.
February 25, 1870
156 years ago
Key Figures & Places
Congress of the United States
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African American
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Mississippi
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United States Senate
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Hiram Rhodes Revels
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Republican Party (United States)
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Hiram R. Revels
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Republican Party (United States)
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Mississippi
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United States Senate
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African American
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United States Congress
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History of the United States
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Reconstruction
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