The idea that Blacks were the prominent force in Southern governments during Reconstruction has been the theme of a number of Southern Whites and others who had sympathy for the South. They have emphasized this view so long that it has almost become an established fact. They have also pounced upon the weaknesses of a number of Black politicians of this period, labeling these men as "not fit to hold political positions." This writer has proven that not all of these men were unqualified as office holders through the life and career of John R. Lynch. The background and accomplishments of Lynch denies the "not fit to hold political positions" idea.Since there is little published on John R. Lynch apart from general histories of other prominent Black leaders of this period, the purpose of this study was to examine the life of John R. Lynch, the impact he had on Reconstruction and selected American historians' views of Lynch and Reconstruction. This writer did this study in hopes that an examination of the life of Lynch might serve to provide a more balanced account of the part played by Black office holders of that period.The research showed that Lynch was a significant political leader in post-Civil War Mississippi and in the United States Congress and that his contemporaries, Black and White, recognized his competence and his honesty. However, this record has remained obscure since no historian, White or Black, with the exception of John Hope Franklin, has selected Lynch as a major topic of historical research. While a number of historians have mentioned Lynch in their writings, none have given him full credit for his accomplishment. White historians such as James Ford Rhodes, John W. Burgess and William A. Dunning omitted him in their justification of White treatment of Blacks during Reconstruction. Black historians proved almost as neglectful in their lack of treatment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/178348 |
| Date | January 1981 |
| Creators | McLaughlin, James H. |
| Contributors | Hoover, Dwight W. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | iv, 220 leaves : ill., map, port., facsims. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
| Coverage | n-us--- |
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