
The Facts of Reconstruction
'The Facts of Reconstruction ' Summary
After the American Civil War, John R. Lynch, who had been a slave in Mississippi, began his political career in 1869 by first becoming Justice of the Peace, and then Mississippi State Representative. He was only 26 when he was elected to the US Congress in 1873. There, he continued to be an activist, introducing many bills and arguing on their behalf. Perhaps his greatest effort was in the long debate supporting the Civil Rights Act of 1875 to ban discrimination in public accommodations.
In 1884 Lynch was the first African American nominated after a moving speech by Theodore Roosevelt to the position of Temporary Chairman of the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. During the Spanish-American War of 1898, he was appointed Treasury Auditor and then Paymaster under the Republicans. In 1901, he began serving with the Regular Army with tours of duty in the United States, Cuba, and the Philippines.
Lynch retired from the Army in 1911, then married Cora Williams. They moved to Chicago, where he practiced law. He also became involved in real estate. After his death in Chicago 1939 at the age of 92, he was buried with military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. He was entitled to this as a Congressman and veteran.
After the turn of the century, Lynch wrote a book, The Facts of Reconstruction, and several articles criticizing the then-dominant Dunning School historiography. Dunning and followers had emphasized the views of former slave owners and routinely downplayed any positive contributions of African Americans during Reconstruction, as well as suggesting they could not manage any political power. Lynch argued that blacks had made substantial contributions during the period. Since he participated directly in Reconstruction-era governments, Lynch's book is considered a primary source in study of the period.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1913Genre/Category
Tags/Keywords
Authors

John R. Lynch
United States
John Roy Lynch was a black Republican politician, writer, attorney and military officer. Born into slavery in Louisiana, he became free in 1863 under the Emancipation Proclamation. His father was an I...
Books by John R. LynchDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Vivo de Zamenhof by Edmond Privat
This biography, penned by Edmond Privat, presents a comprehensive account of the life and work of Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof, the creator of the Esperanto...

History of the United States, Vol. V: Sectional Conflict & Reconstruction by Charles Austin Beard
Charles Beard was the most influential American historian of the early 20th century. He published hundreds of monographs, textbooks and interpretive s...

The Chronicles of America Volume 03 - Elizabethan Sea-Dogs by William Wood
"Amidst the tempestuous seas, daring adventurers rise like sea-dogs to sail under the banner of a formidable queen. Unleash the thrill of maritime esc...

The Democracy of the Constitution, and other Addresses and Essays by Henry Cabot Lodge
What does it mean to be a self-governing people? In his book The Democracy of the Constitution, and other Addresses and Essays, Henry Cabot Lodge add...

The African Problem and the Peace Settlement by Edmund Dene Morel
It is an important piece of literature that sheds light on the colonization of Africa by European powers during the late 19th and early 20th century....

Tea Drinking In 18th-Century America: Its Etiquette And Equipage by Rodris Roth
This book, published in 1961 as a Smithsonian Institution bulletin, explores the intricate world of tea drinking in 18th-century America. It delves i...

Hero Tales from History by Smith Burnham
This volume celebrates stories of great heroes from the pages of history from Moses and David through Clara Barton and Henry Longfellow. It is divided...

Ancestors: A Novel by Gertrude Atherton
Set in Victorian England, "Ancestors" follows Flora, the daughter of a clergyman, who grapples with her social position and the limitations it places...

Bill of Rights by United States Government
The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, and were ratified on December 15, 1791.

Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XII, Ohio Narratives by Various
This volume of the Federal Writers' Project's Slave Narratives offers a collection of firsthand accounts from former slaves living in Ohio. These narr...
Reviews for The Facts of Reconstruction
No reviews posted or approved, yet...