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Black History and Blacks in U.S. History

Throwing Their Hats into the Ring, Part 1 - John Mercer Langston

Throwing Their Hats into the Ring, Part 1 - John Mercer Langston
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 4 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.79

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    antislavery, autobiography, consul-general, regiment, exam, politics, freedom, education, responsibility, gain, slave, term, pioneer, beginning, lawyer, public
     content words:    Civil War, United States, John Mercer Langston, Mercer Langston, Oberlin College, Underground Railroad, Republican Party, John Langston, Howard University, Virginia Normal

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Throwing Their Hats into the Ring, Part 1 - John Mercer Langston
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     Every freedom comes with a responsibility. As you grow older, you will have more freedom. You will also have more responsibility. African-American slaves took on new responsibilities when they gained their freedom.
 
2     Most slaves were denied education. It took a while before many could learn about how government is run. A few black leaders emerged after the Civil War ended. In time, these few would inspire many more.
 
3     It is believed that the first African-American elected to public office in the United States was John Mercer Langston. His election as the town clerk of a small Ohio town came before the beginning of the Civil War. That was just the beginning.

Paragraphs 4 to 10:
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