Hiram Revels (1827-1901) · Counternarratives Digital Archive

Name: Hiram Revels (1827-1901)
Date of Birth: 27 September 1827
Date of Death: 16 January 1901
State Assigned Gender: Male
Hometown or Region: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Freedom Status: Free
Occupation: 1st African-American Senator, President of Alcorn College & Ordained Minister
Biography: Hiram Revels was the first African American United States Senator.; Hiram Revels was the son of a Baptist preacher born in Fayetteville, North Carolina on September 27. 1827. He was an educator, senator, and religious leader during the civil war. He began his career as a union army recruiter and minister. Then in 1862 he became a chaplain for black union regiments who fought in Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi. Following his time in Baltimore, he moved to St. Louis to establish a freedmen’s school. Following the civil war, Revels maintained his strong faith background as he hoped to continue to advance his career in education. He settled in Natchez, Mississippi and began preaching to a significant congregation. Then he was appointed by the military governor as alderman and eventually was elected the Mississippi state senate in 1869 as a Republican candidate. He made it into history books as the first African American to serve in the United States senate. He hoped to not rub Southerners, namely white southerners the wrong way. As a result of this he supported legislation that restored political powers to disenfranchised members of the former Confederacy. He also advocated for desegregation in education and blue collar professions like railyards. After vacating his seat in 1871, Revels went on to become the president of Alcorn State University (Agricultural and Mechanical College) in Mississippi. He was a controversial figure at the university. He was removed from the presidency in 1874 for supporting the overturning of the Republican government of Mississippi for being a corrupt system. He was also rewarded by the Democratic party which reappointed him to his former position. He continued to serve as president of Alcorn until his retirement in 1876.; Click here to review Primary Sources related to Hiram Revels.
Student Researcher: Cameron Thornton