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Washington City, District of Columbia in the 1870s: 1 through 10 of 27

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  1. The Klan alters Congressional elections in Tennessee's 4th district
    date 1866 to February 14, 1871map Washington City, District of Columbiatags African-Americans, Crime/Violence, Government, Politics, Race-Relations

    Representative Horace Maynard of Tennessee presented the investigation into the contested election between Republican Louis Tillman and Democrat C .A Sheafe before the United States House of Representatives. Republicans charged that the Ku Klux Klan intimidated both white and black voters on behalf of the Democratic Party. In that election, C.A Sheafe won close election 44176 to 3810, but the Republicans...

  2. The First Enforcement Act is Presented in Congress
    date February 21, 1870map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Race-Relations

    The first of a long series of Enforcement Acts passed through Congress on February 21, 1870. The Enforcement Acts were designed to enforce the 15th Amendment throughout the South during the elections. The elections of 1870 were plagued by violence throughout the South exerted primarily by members and sympathizers of the Ku Klux Klan. Their tactics of lynching, bombing, and otherwise exerting violence...

  3. Establishment of the Southern Claims Commission
    date March 3, 1871map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Economy, War

    After the Civil War, Union men that resided in the Confederate states asked Congress for compensation of goods that were given to, or taken by, Federal forces during the occupation of the South throughout the War. Many of these Union men did not have vouchers from the army officers or the treasury department that confiscated their goods. In numerous petitions through bills introduced to Congress, the...

  4. The Freedman's Bureau is abolished
    date June 28, 1872map Washington City, District of Columbiatags African-Americans, Education, War

    The Freedman's Bureau, officially known as the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, was created on March 3rd, 1865 to aid refugees of the U.S. Civil War as part of the U.S. government's effort to aid and assist its meager population. The Bureau also controlled and managed controversial or uncharted U.S. lands, but its main job was as an asset to newly freed slaves. These newly freed, used...

  5. Congress Passes the Timber Culture Act
    date March 3, 1873map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Agriculture

    Throughout the 19th Century, the American government as well as people continued to maintain the desire to push the move out West. Dealing with westward expansion and land ownership, the United States government passed a series of Homestead Laws over the decade in order to promote the settlement of Americans westward. In 1841, Congress passed the Pre-emption Act in response to the demands of the Western...

  6. Black Representation Increases in Federal and State Governments
    date March 4, 1873map Washington City, District of Columbiatags African-Americans, Race-Relations

    As Reconstruction progressed, blacks became more assertive and prominent in the southern Republican Party. African-Americans began to flex their political muscles despite common obstacles of white dominance. An example of momentary white repression occurred in South Carolina to black politician Robert B. Elliott, who later took a seat in the House. It is likely that South Carolina would have had an...

  7. President Ulysses S. Grant Gives Second Inaugural Address
    date March 4, 1873map Washington City, District of Columbiatags African-Americans, Race-Relations

    After reelection in 1872, President Grant presented his second inaugural address on a frigid March day the following year. Called “the most brilliant inauguration which ever took place in this country' by The Courier-Journal, the speech was witnessed by thousands of spectators who had been attracted to Washington simply for this occasion. The immense crowd cheered the President as he passed along...

  8. William Pitt Kellogg is officially named Governor of Louisiana by President Grant
    date May 22, 1873map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Crime/Violence, Race-Relations

    After a much disputed 1872 election, which saw both candidates claim governorship, Illinois carpetbagger William P. Kellogg was named governor over Democratic candidate, John McEnery in early 1873. Although The Courier-Journal reported the allegation that Kellogg's opponent, John McEnery, received almost 7,000 more votes, the Courier also revealed that Kellogg issued a bill of complaint. Here, Kellogg...

  9. The Cheap Transportation Convention
    date January, 1874map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Migration/Transportation

    The Cheap Transportation Convention was organized early in 1874 to find and utilize the cheapest routes of transportation possible from the East to the West. The convention decided that waterways would be the fastest route, even though railways were prevalent at this time. The majority opinion of the convention was that a waterway should be built, but that Congress should decide the details of the...

  10. Pinchback Denied a Seat in the Senate
    date January 21, 1874 to January 28, 1874map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Race-Relations

    Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (May 10, 1837- December 21, 1921) was a freeborn black political figure during the Reconstruction. He had previously served as an officer for the Union during the Civil War. Pinchback served on the state senate of Louisiana and later as lieutenant governor for that state. Republican Pinchback ran for and was elected to Congress in 1872 but his Democratic opponent...

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