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The Epic Story of Reconstruction Through the Lives of the First Black Congressmen
by Philip Dray
In this grand and compelling new history of Reconstruction, Pulitzer Prize finalist Philip Dray shines a light on a little known group of men: the nation's first black members of Congress. These men played a critical role in pushing for much-needed reforms in the wake of a traumatic civil war, including public education for all children, equal rights, and protection from Klan violence. But they have been either neglected or maligned by most historians -- their "glorious failure" chalked up to corruption and "ill-preparedness."
"Starred Review. [T]horoughly researched and well-documented to satisfy the scholarly, while consistently fascinating and fully accessible" - Publishers Weekly.
"Dray develops a poignant story of racial hope - and resentment - and of America's ultimately reneging on its promises to blacks." - Library Journal.
"Starred Review. A welcome addition to the literature of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era, and important for students of the civil-rights movement and its origins." - Kirkus Reviews.
This information about Capitol Men was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Philip Dray is the author of many books, including Stealing God's Thunder and At the Hands of Persons Unknown, which won the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, the Southern Book Critics Circle Award, and was a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
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