42nd Congress

Joseph Hayne Rainey

Joseph Hayne Rainey

Congressman Joseph Rainey, born into slavery, was the first Black representative from South Carolina and the first African American to serve in the...

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Benjamin Sterling Turner

Benjamin Sterling Turner

Congressman Benjamin Turner, the first Black representative from Alabama, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 1871 to March 1873...

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Robert Brown Elliott

Robert Brown Elliott

Congressman Robert Elliott represented South Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1871 to 1874 (42nd-43rd Congresses), when he...

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Josiah Thomas Walls

Josiah Thomas Walls

Congressman Josiah Walls was the first Black representative to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida. He served from 1871 to 1873 and from...

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Robert Carlos De Large

Robert Carlos De Large

Congressman Robert De Large was born into slavery and later served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a representative of South Carolina from...

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