Reconstruction and Rebirth

Amos Akerman’s Georgia Years

Abstract

Amos Akerman was the first U.S. Attorney General to bring thousands of prosecutions against the Ku Klux Klan. But his story began in Georgia. Using multiple primary sources including Akerman’s diary and letters obtained from his living relatives, I explore his role in Georgia’s Reconstruction. I describe the integral role he played in drafting Georgia’s 1868 Constitution, including his zealous advocacy for Black suffrage. I report the brave steps he took in the face of threats to his own safety to ensure that Black citizens were allowed to vote in the 1868 election. And I explore the critical role he played in an 1869 legal case that secured the rights of Black citizens in Georgia to hold political office. Evolving from a Confederate soldier into a champion of civil rights, Akerman’s is a story of redemption and rebirth.