The 49th Congress (1885–1887) convened on December 7, 1885, with two African American representatives serving:
James E. O’Hara of North Carolina, a lawyer and civil rights advocate
Robert Smalls of South Carolina, a formerly enslaved man and Civil War hero
Both men were part of a small but impactful group of Black legislators during the post-Reconstruction era, continuing to fight for civil rights amid increasing racial backlash and disenfranchisement in the South.
© 2025 KnowThyHistory.com. Know Thy History
