Part 2, Chapter 4 Reconstructing the Body Politic Summary

By March 1867, the reconstructed American republic was marked by Radicalism. Congress gave the federal government the ability to restructure the Confederate states, impose political disabilities on Southern leaders, and extend suffrage to black males. Freedmen responded by registering to vote in large numbers and overwhelmingly aligning themselves with the Republican Party. They widely resisted the threats of white Democrats, marched to the polls, and helped write new state constitutions.

David Medlock, an African American leader in Texas, helped organize a chapter of the Union League and the local Republican Party. The community that he worked to mobilize was multigenerational and had many kinship and personal networks. He was one of the few African Americans to win election to a state or county office in a majority white district.

Freed people played important roles...