Below is information about one local observance of this anniversary (9/27
in Charlottesville). If there are any other observances elsewhere in the
state, PLEASE post the information to this list.
The election was in October 1867, with voter registration in September.
The election was to decide whether to hold a state constitutional
convention and, if it it passed, who would serve at that convention. For
those of us who didn't get much on Reconstruction in school (if anything),
this was part of the process of gaining readmittance for the state of
Virginia (minus the counties lost to West Virginia) to the Union.
Earlier this year, Senator Jennifer McClellan, who is also Chair of the
General Assembly's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial Commission,
sponsored a commending resolution on the progressive "Underwood
Constitution" which came about as a result of the 1867 election.
SJR 427, 2017
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?171+ful+SJ427ER
In 2012, then-Delegate McClellan and then-Senator Henry L. Marsh sponsored
identical resolutions marking the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation
Proclamation and honoring the African American men who served Virginia as
members of the 1867- 68 Constitutional Convention and the General Assembly
during Reconstruction. Both the 2017 and 2012 resolutions cite the high
voter registration and turnout numbers for African American men in the
October 1867 election.
HJ 65 and SJ 13 <http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+sum+SJ13>,
2012
http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+SJ13ER
Also see
http://mlkcommission.dls.virginia.gov/lincoln/african_americans.html
In Eric Foner's Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877
(1988), there's a poignant paragraph summarizing the impact of these first
elections in the South and what followed (p. 279) including, "[I]t remains
a tragedy that the lofty goals of civil and political equality were not
permanently achieved."
Again, I would be very interested in hearing about any other observances
(events, articles, editorials, etc.). I am hoping that this posting may
even help inspire some.
Thank you.
Rosanna Bencoach
General Registrar/Director of Elections
City of Charlottesville, Virginia
[log in to unmask]
(This is posted in my official capacity. My rare posts here are usually
more related to family history.)
**********************************************************************
Lecture Event: "I Challenge This House": 150th Anniversary of African
American Suffrage in Virginia
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, September 27. 2017
Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, 233 4th St NW,
Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
"I Challenge This House": 150th Anniversary of African American Suffrage in
Virginia African American men voted for the first time in Virginia in
October of 1867. Now, 150 years later, we look back upon the history and
legacy of that momentous occasion. Join us at the African American Heritage
Center for an evening of lectures inspired by that October 1867 vote.
Speakers include: Virginia State Senator Jennifer McClellan Dr. Nicole
Myers Turner, Virginia Commonwealth University Dr. Eric Claville, Hampton
University Dr. Corinne Field, University of Virginia
The Charlottesville Voter Registration Office will have a table at "I
Challenge This House" on September 27th to offer voter registration
services and information. We are glad to count them among our guests for
the evening.
http://jeffschoolheritagecenter.org/
https://www.facebook.com/events/246422589204019/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%
22106%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D
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