Patrick McSweeney

On February 27, 1869, Congress voted against seating John Willis Menard, the first Black man ever elected to the House of Representatives. James Garfield, then a member of Congress who later became president, confirmed the decision, arguing that “it was too early to admit a Negro to the U.S. Congress, and that the seat [should] be declared vacant, and the salary of $5,000″ saved. By this vote, Menard was barred from being seated and his constituents denied their chosen representative and all representation until the following election. Menard was a poet, newspaper publisher, and politician. He won at least 64% of the vote in a special election held in Louisiana's 2nd congressional district—New Orleans—in November 1868 after the incumbent died. Despite victory, his election faced fierce opposition, led by Caleb Hunt who lost the election. The House Committee on Elections held a hearing to decide whether or not to seat Menard and the debate then moved to the entire House on February 27. During the debate, Menard became the first Black man to speak on the floor of the House of Representatives. Hunt’s claims of protest against the election’s validity were defeated convincingly by the House, as Hunt did not even show up to testify and presented no evidence supporting his claims. However Congress refused to seat Menard by a vote of 130 to 57, because he was Black. #BlackHistoryMonth