Every American has a kind of debt of appreciation towards John Mercer Langston. He was an influential architect, the dean of Howard University’s Law School, and played a vital role in the 14th Amendment and its foundational principles.
Langston’s speeches and writings are crucial for grasping the present-day applications of fundamental laws. The regulations stemming from the US Constitution are, well, quite significant.
Just about a month after the 13th Amendment was ratified in December 1865, Langston addressed the Attorney General’s claim that African Americans weren’t considered citizens. As the first black man to speak to the Missouri Legislature on January 9, 1866, he remarked, it was common for high-ranking officials in government to maintain that the country was a “white government.”
Yet, he emphasized that this notion wasn’t decided by the founders. He referenced how, during a Congressional discussion about the Alliance article, South Carolina proposed inserting the word “white” between “free” and “resident” in the text.
Eleven states were called to vote on this proposal. Each had a single vote—eight states opposed it, two supported it, and one was split. In 1778, there was a rare consensus; thus, the founding fathers inadvertently endorsed the unjust discrimination it represented.
Langston argued that, interestingly, the right to vote had existed previously. “When the Constitution was ratified, free men of color could vote in various states, including New York, Pennsylvania, and others,” he stated.
Post-1812, particularly after the Dred Scott decisions, he described the situation as “national apostasy” regarding citizenship. He pointed out that the 1843 Attorney General ruling had effectively denied black land applicants their citizenship status.
Langston led the Equality Rights League from 1864 to 1868, a movement that supported the push for the 14th Amendment. Four million Africans in America shared the same challenges that ignited the American Revolution.
“We’ve always been diligent in fulfilling our citizenship duties, but unfortunately, we’ve be denied all associated rights and privileges,” he lamented. “We’ve been taxed but have had no representation. Our loyalty has gone unrewarded, and we lack protection.
The peculiar interpretation of the 14th Amendment that aims to exclude race overlooks the need to revoke the Dred Scott ruling. The very council that ratified the 14th Amendment also established institutions like Howard University and the Freedman’s Savings Bank.
There have been 16 Civil Rights Acts since 1866, aiming to secure constitutional rights for African American citizens. However, countless findings still indicate that full equality hasn’t been realized.
It’s essential to understand that these institutions aren’t akin to the violent gangs that were outlawed during the power struggles of the 1870s. The Department of Justice was founded in 1870 specifically to protect African Americans from violent oppressors.
On July 30, 1866, 200 Union veterans gathered in New Orleans to discuss the new state constitution. They were brutally attacked by former Confederates, an incident that sparked urgency for the passage of the 14th Amendment.
This site, now the Hotel Roosevelt, holds significant historical value in relation to American democracy.
Contemporary military interventions led by black female leaders in cities like Los Angeles and Washington resonate with echoes from the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot in North Carolina, which undermined an elected black city government. The rezoning plans in Texas highlight issues reminiscent of the discriminatory practices recognized during Reconstruction.
All Americans should consider the insights from Langston and appreciate the solid democratic framework he helped establish.
