03 October 2015

Review: Capitol Men: The Epic Story of Reconstruction Through the Lives of the First Black Congressmen

Capitol Men: The Epic Story of Reconstruction Through the Lives of the First Black Congressmen Capitol Men: The Epic Story of Reconstruction Through the Lives of the First Black Congressmen by Philip Dray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Closer to a 4.5.

It's been a while since I've read some straight history, and Capitol Men definitely delivered. A post-reconstruction tale of mostly individual but obviously interconnected African-American individuals who made a mark on the government and in history in general following the Civil War, this is the sort of stuff I had ultimately wished I had gotten in history classes. Instead, it's overlooked for plenty of reasons (good and bad) and the result is that we lose out on some really interesting stories about people who really deserve more praise.

I can't think of a favorite at this time out, and that's both because there are so many fascinating individuals highlighted and because of the distance between reading and now. Overall, this is really a must read for anyone who has any interest in all in post-Civil War political history, or those who are looking for those little-known stories from the past. A really great read.

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