“Radical Members of the First Legislature After the War, South Carolina,” 1876

This 1876 photo montage depicts the first South Carolina legislature after the 1867 Reconstruction Acts, a legislature that became to first in American history with an African-American majority.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Radical Members of the First Legislature After the War, South Carolina," 1876

Description

This 1876 photo montage depicts the first South Carolina legislature after the 1867 Reconstruction Acts. Names of each of the 65 members is listed below the photo montage. This legislature became the first in American history with an African-American majority.

Transcript of the "Radical Members" Montage

Source-Dependent Questions

What was unique about South Carolina’s state legislature that would not have been possible prior to the Civil War and Reconstruction Act of 1867?
Why would this state legislature be worth creating a photo montage of eight years after its beginning?
How might the fact that the South Carolina state legislature was made up of a majority of African Americans have impacted state laws and public policy?

Citation Information

"Radical Members of the First Legislature After the War, South Carolina," 1876. Courtesy of Library of Congress