How Did African Americans Influence The Government

Following the Civil War, the Republican party controlled every branch of power in the government (McPherson, 601). This political party emphasized its desire for racial and social equality; therefore, they gave African Americans official positions in the Southern government (Foner, 159). Despite racist ideologies, white politicians willingly shared some of their power with African Americans. What motivated white officials to share their power with African Americans? Were their choices genuine, or simply a way to push their political agenda to punish the South? African American made up the majority of the population in the South and so, white Americans recruited African American officeholders to ensure that they received African American voters’ support. Nevertheless, white Americans controlled the Southern government (Foner, 159).
How did African Americans respond to their newfound political authority? William Beverly Nash, a former slave and South Carolina politician, stated, “We are not prepared for this suffrage. But we can learn… We may not understand it at the start, but in time we shall learn to do out duty” (McPherson, 603). Throughout American history, African Americans were oppressed, enslaved, and inferior. This period represented the first-time political changes benefited African Americans and so, they had no idea how to handle it. African Americans relied on the Freedmen’s Bureau to help them adjust to their new life in the South, which included their new political rights (McPherson, 605). It is probable that African Americans political position in the South weakened when this organization lost its support and power. Further, African Americans never achieved autonomy because they relied on white Americans to teach them how to exercise their