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| Smithsonian Magazine |
One of the distinguishing features of the American narrative is progress. It is so important to be positive and hopeful about the future. Outside of the US of A, so many cultures in the world, with a longer arc of history, are weighed down by their past and seemingly less capable of bold thoughts and actions. America still holds onto the sense of possibility of an early nation, which does power so much innovation, creativity and growth.
But, there is a BIG but. There is also a need to learn from the past failures and admit missed opportunities. It seems to me that a better study of the reconstruction period, and the failure of that missed opportunity to build a more equitable society, would help move us forward today, rather than repeat the mistakes of the past.
A recent article from the Smithsonian tells the story of the first black Congressman, Joseph Rainy. "Born enslaved, he was elected to Congress in the wake of the Civil War. But the impact of this momentous step in U.S. race relationships did not last long"
His history and that of his colleagues is worth studying and understanding and acting upon. There are more similarities to today than we should care to admit. This includes the actions of the white establishment, who failed to push the cause of progress in favor of a retrenchment of inequality
"The federal government did nothing in response to this flagrant abuse of the polls. In fact, its inaction was part of a secret deal. In the 1876 presidential election, the electoral college tally came down to three states in which both parties accused each other of fraud: South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana. In January 1877, just two months before the new president was supposed to take office, there was still no clear winner. The two parties made a compromise in private. The Democrats would allow Rutherford B. Hayes, the Ohio Republican, to become the next president of the United States. In return, his administration would allow white Democratic “redeemers” to reclaim their states from African Americans, however they saw fit. In essence, Northern Republicans agreed to take the presidency in exchange for withdrawing federal troops from the South, ending Reconstruction."
Allowing false narratives about everything from the confederates to qanon led to the storming of the Capital. This must be overcome by all political leaders looking to the progress of humanity, not to the preservation of parochial outdated interests. The new Congress should be focused on a new reconstruction, making and communicating the tough choices that ensure America does progress in the decades ahead.
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