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→Civil War and aftermath
Only a fraction of Union troops occupied the South after the war, and the balance mustered out according to length of service. Because blacks were not admitted into ranks until the middle of the war, they were retained at a higher rate, making the occupying force "blacker" than the one that won the war. The roughly 200,000 black Americans who served in the Union Army comprised an estimated 10 percent of the North's total fighting force. But by the last quarter of 1865, blacks made up about one-third of the occupation army. Many Southerners took this as a deliberate Republican insult.<ref>https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/02/what-reconstruction-and-its-end-meant-for-black-americans-who-had-fought-for-the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms.html</ref>
Only a fraction of Union troops occupied the South after the war, and the balance mustered out according to length of service. Because blacks were not admitted into ranks until the middle of the war, they were retained at a higher rate, making the occupying force "blacker" than the one that won the war. The roughly 200,000 black Americans who served in the Union Army comprised an estimated 10 percent of the North's total fighting force. But by the last quarter of 1865, blacks made up about one-third of the occupation army. Many Southerners took this as a deliberate Republican insult.<ref>https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/02/what-reconstruction-and-its-end-meant-for-black-americans-who-had-fought-for-the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms.html</ref>
Across [[the South]] Republican parties were formed by African Americans. Black people were the original Republicans in the South.
The Republican Party in [[Texas]] was founded on the 4th of July 1867 in [[Houston, Texas]] by 150 African Americans and 20 whites. Two of the first three statewide Republican chairman were African American. The first 42 Black legislators elected in Texas were all Republican.
The first 112 Black legislators elected in [[Mississippi]] were all Republican. The first 190 Black legislators elected in [[South Carolina]] were all Republicans. The first 41 Black legislators in [[Georgia]] were Republicans. The first 127 Black legislators in [[Louisiana]] were Republicans.
In 1866 [[Democrat]]s formed the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. Its purpose was to take control and return Democrats to power. The Ku Klux Klan started attacking Black Republican conventions. At the Republican convention in Louisiana, the Klan joined with [[New Orleans]] police and New Orleans' Democrat mayor. The New Orleans Republican convention was attacked. 40 Blacks and 20 whites were killed. Another 150 were wounded.
The Republican Party was beginning a 50-year era of dominance (1858-1910). During the war, Northern Democrats divided into two factions, [[War Democrats]], who supported the military policies of President Lincoln, and [[Copperheads]], who strongly opposed them. Historian Kenneth Stampp has captured the Copperhead spirit in his depiction of Democratic Congressman Daniel W. Voorhees of Indiana:
The Republican Party was beginning a 50-year era of dominance (1858-1910). During the war, Northern Democrats divided into two factions, [[War Democrats]], who supported the military policies of President Lincoln, and [[Copperheads]], who strongly opposed them. Historian Kenneth Stampp has captured the Copperhead spirit in his depiction of Democratic Congressman Daniel W. Voorhees of Indiana: