Jefferson Franklin Long of Macon, Georgia, became the first African American from Georgia elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He won a special election to fill an unexpired term in the 41st Congress. A formerly enslaved man, Long was also the second African American to serve in Congress overall.
His election took place during Reconstruction, a time of fierce resistance to Black political participation. Georgia Democrats regained control of the state through a campaign of violence and voter intimidation, highlighting the severe challenges Black politicians faced even after emancipation.
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