Existing comment:
The Failure of Reconstruction
Black political advancement in Virginia largely ceased by the 1890s. The Democratic Party gained control of the government, and one-party rule began, lasting nearly a century. A state constitution written in 1902 was progressive in attacking corporate corruption but regressive in restricting voter registration. The pool of eligible black voters was greatly reduced. Thomas Martin first directed the party followed by Harry Byrd in the 1920s. |