On this date in 1868, the Georgia legislature convened in Atlanta following the end of the Civil War and during the Reconstruction period. This was a significant moment in U.S. history as 34 Black legislators (many of whom were formerly enslaved) joined 186 white legislators in the statehouse. The event marked the first time African Americans were allowed to participate in Georgia’s legislative process, signaling a major shift in the state’s political landscape after the abolition of slavery.

However, the Black legislators faced intense opposition and hostility, and in the following years, their participation in the legislature was gradually diminished due to discriminatory actions such as voter disenfranchisement and the implementation of Jim Crow laws. Despite these setbacks, the 1868 legislature remains a historic achievement during the Reconstruction era.