A Black Congressman in the Age of Jim Crow: South Carolina's George Washington Murray

By John F. Marszalek
Notes, bibliography, appendix, index, hardcover, 232 pp., 2006. University Press of Florida, 15 Northwest 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32611, $55 plus shipping.

Reviewer: Jonathan A. Noyalas
Jonathan A. Noyalas is a history professor at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Va., and the author or editor of four books on Civil War era history.

Review:
With the Civil War's end optimism permeated through the millions of African Americans who believed they would now realize emancipation's promise. Although African Americans had a momentary active role in Reconstruction politics the dream of equality ended with the South's redemption in the 1870s.

Despite the obstacles of Jim Crow segregation some African Americans accepted the challenge to defy the new order. Among these challengers was George Washington Murray - the subject of John F. Marszalek's important study, A Black Congressman in the Age of Jim Crow: South Carolina's George Washington Murray.

In constructing this biography Marszalek confronted a problem familiar to scholars of the African American experience, a paucity of source materials.

Although Murray did not leave a large cache of letters, the author reconstructed Murray's life through a variety of sources including newspapers, public documents, a small collection of Murray's writings from the Library of Congress, and oral histories from Murray's descendants.

A Black Congressman in the Age of Jim Crow lucidly follows Murray from birth through the creation of his legacy in 11 masterfully crafted chapters. Murray, born on Sept. 22, 1853, in Sumter County, South Carolina, had a life of constant struggle, but he always found ways to overcome.

Marszalek does an excellent job of illustrating Murray's tenacity. Self-taught, Murray became a teacher and later attended the University of South Carolina, although segregation policies removed Murray from the institution. Despite frequent setbacks Murray made his way into the political scene in 1880 working for the U.S. Census Bureau.

From there his political career blossomed in 1890 when he was elected to Congress. Throughout his two terms in the House of Representatives Murray fought for African Americans' political rights.

Following his four years in the House, Murray continued to prosper as a farmer and landowner. When accusations of forgery in a land sale surfaced Murray soon found himself victimized by a state court system that searched for ways to eliminate prosperous African Americans.

Despite his conviction Murray fled South Carolina and sought refuge in Chicago. Eventually Murray's record was cleared by South Carolina's governor and Murray toured American cities until his death speaking about civil rights topics.

Although the author's examination of Murray's rise to Congress and the story of his post-Congressional life are significant, the volume's importance is enhanced by the author's keen attention to constantly keeping his subject in proper historical context.

This study provides a fine treatment of South Carolina politics from Wade Hampton's redemption to the late-century agrarian revolt led by Benjamin R. Tillman.

While Marszalek uses Murray as a window into the problems Republicans confronted in South Carolina politics he also illustrates the complexity of relationships in the party itself.

African American leaders such as Robert Smalls - regarded by African Americans as a Union war hero - were constantly in conflict with Murray. At a time when Republican unity was needed in South Carolina, intra-factionalism greatly hampered the party's efforts.

Although division hurt the party Marszalek carefully asserts that it "was not the result of color, economic, geographic, philosophical, or patronage differences," but rather the only manner in which South Carolina Republicans were able to manifest their "frustration."

While this biography studies an important figure and provides insight into postwar South Carolina politics, this book is, in general terms, an inspirational story about tenacity. Marszalek points out that Murray's story tells us "that, despite overwhelming odds and dangers, human beings do continue to battle."

For students of Reconstruction, African American history, postwar politics, or for someone who simply wants to read an inspirational story, A Black Congressman in the Age of Jim Crow is highly recommended.