Pg. 35 Story of Lincoln
-Mrs. Carolyn Johnson of Philadelphia, the African American president of an organization to help soldiers
-Mrs. Johnson, who had been a slave, want to make a gift and give it to President Lincoln for what he had done for black Americans
-A Quaker friend wrote a letter to Lincoln to introduce him to Mrs. Johnson
-President Lincoln agreed to meet her
-she brought her Baptist minister with her because she was afraid she would embarrass herself
-the minister spoke and then turned to Mrs. Johnson to all her to speak
“Mr. President, I believe God has hewn you out of the rock for this great and mighty purpose; so many have been led away by bribes, by silver and gold, but you have stood firm because God was with you.”
-President Lincoln responded, "You must give God the praise, and not man.”
-Mrs. Johnson presented Lincoln with a magnificent basket of wax fruit that he personally make for him
***there are many accounts of the strong Christian faith of black Americans
-in 1865, there were numerous celebrations by black Americans at the end of the Civil War
-before the end of the war, a vote had been held in Congress on the constitutional amendment to abolish slavery
***The 13th Amendment
-Congress passed the Amendment and a poster was quickly issued to honor the 157 members of Congress who had voted to end slavery
Pg. 37-38 The Vote:
-114 Republicans in Congress
-84 northern Democrats
-34 third party Congressmen
-out of 84 Democrats, only 18 voted to end slavery (only 21%)
-79% of northern Democrats in Congress voted to continue slavery
***this is significant because under the Constitution, the President has not role in the passage of a constitutional amendment
-a constitutional amendment is passed simply with a two-thirds vote of Congress followed by the ratification of three-fourths of the States
***President Lincoln symbolically signed the 13th amendment to show his strong support in ending slavery
-the vote was taken in Congress on the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery was packed wall to wall with observers who cheered as the amendment passed
Pg. 39-42 1st African American to speak in the halls of Congress
-Rev. Henry Highland Garnet was asked to give a sermon in the Capital
***December 4, 1800, Congress authorized that on Sundays, the Capitol building would be used for church service
-by 1867, the largest church in Washington D.C., was the one at the U.S. Capital
-2,000 people a week met there for church
-On February 12, 1865, Rev. Garnet preached his sermon including his recollection of his personal experiences:
“What is slavery? Too well do I know what it is…..I was born among cherished institutions of slavery. My earliest recollections of parents, friends, and the home of my childhood are clouded with its wrongs. The first sight that met my eyes was my Christin mother enslaved.:”
-Garnet then reviewed the prominent historical leaders of both church and state who strongly opposed slavery
“There is preparing, I hope, under the auspices of heaven, a way for a total emancipation.”
“It is among my first wishes to see some plan adopted by which slavery in this country shall be abolished by law. I know of but one way by which this can be done, and that is by legislative action: and so far as my vote can go, it shall not be wanting.”
“We should transmit to posterity our abhorrence of slavery.”
-Garnet concluded by calling on the States to ratify the Amendment passed by Congress
“Let the verdict of death which has been brought in against slavery by Congress be affirmed and executed by the people. Let the gigantic monster perish. Yes, perish now, and perish forever!...Let slavery die.”
“I cannot refrain this day from invoking upon you, in God’s name, the blessings of millions who were ready to perish but to whom a new and better life has been opened by your humanity, justice, and patriotism.”
“Speedily finish the work which He has given you to do. Emancipate! Enfranchise! Educate! And give the blessings of the Gospel to every American citizen!”
***Rev. Garnet’s 15th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. bestowed on their pastor a resolution of thanks
-the church resolution noted that it was Republican members who asked the Rev. Garnet to preach his sermon
-Democrats not mentioned because of their attitude toward blacks at the time
-Democrats do not support spoken prayer, displays of the Ten Commandments, or display of the constitution in public schools
***Democrats opposed any traditional public religious expressions and activities still demonstrated today
Pg. 43 1954
IRS:
-Democrat Lyndon Baines Johnson has the IRS code amended to restrict speech in churches
-only 5% of Democrats voted to allow free speech for churches
-76% Republicans voted for free speech for churches
Marriage:
-6% Democrats voted to protect that God-ordained institution say between a man and a woman
-88% Republicans voted to protect marriage between a man and a woman
John Rock
-Republican Senator Charles Sumner nominated Rock as the 1st U.S. Supreme Court Attorney to Congress
-Rock was both a licensed doctor and a licensed dentist
-Rock was the 1st black American to become a member of the U.S. Supreme Court bar
-Rock was introduced before the U.S. House
-Rock became the 1st African American attorney to be introduced to Congress
***because of the 13th Amendment and the end of slavery, black Americans in the South could now enjoy their first real taste of civil rights
-within a year, blacks were registering to vote and were forming political parties across the South
Ex. rally in Houston, Texas, on July 4th, 1867, 150 blacks and 20 whites formed the Republican party of Texas
-former Rebels who were Democrats were not allowed to vote in their States until they took an oath of loyalty
-they took the oath of allegiance to the United States, and oath to respect the civil rights of black Americans
-Democrats who chose not to take the oath couldn’t vote
Pg. 45 Political Majority
-Republicans became the political majority in most of the southern States
-Republican legislatures moved quickly to protect voting rights of African Americans, prohibit segregation, establish public education, and to open public transportation, State police, schools, and other institutions to black Americans
-nearly every southern legislature included many black legislators
Louisiana:
-first 95 black representatives
-first 32 black senators were Republicans
Texas:
-first 42 black Republicans elected to the State legislature
Alabama:
-first 103 blacks elected to the State legislature were Republicans
Mississippi:
-first 112 blacks elected to the State legislature were Republicans
South Carolina:
-first 190 blacks elected to the State legislature were Republicans
Virginia:
-first 46 blacks elected to the State legislature were Republicans
Florida:
-first 30 blacks elected to the State legislature were Republicans
North Carolina:
-first 30 blacks elected to the State legislature were Republicans