• Biography

Early Life

William Gannaway Brownlow was born on August 29, 1805 in Wythe County, Virginia. He was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Brownlow. His father was a farmer and a veteran of the Revolutionary War. Brownlow was educated at home and at a local academy. He was a devout Presbyterian and was ordained as a minister in 1826.

Career

In 1829, Brownlow moved to Tennessee and began preaching in the Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was an outspoken critic of slavery and was an early advocate of abolition. He was also a strong supporter of the temperance movement. In 1834, he was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives. He served in the House until 1845, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

In Congress, Brownlow was a vocal opponent of slavery and a strong supporter of the Union. He was a leader of the Radical Republicans and was a vocal critic of President Andrew Johnson. He was a strong advocate for Reconstruction and was a key figure in the impeachment of Johnson. After leaving Congress in 1869, Brownlow returned to Tennessee and was elected governor in 1869.

Governorship

As governor, Brownlow was a strong advocate for civil rights and education reform. He was a vocal opponent of the Ku Klux Klan and was instrumental in passing the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act, which made it a federal crime to interfere with civil rights. He also supported the establishment of public schools and the expansion of higher education. He was a strong advocate for the rights of African Americans and was a vocal opponent of the Jim Crow laws.

Legacy

Brownlow was a key figure in the Reconstruction era and was a strong advocate for civil rights and education reform. He was a vocal opponent of slavery and the Ku Klux Klan and was instrumental in passing the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act. He was a strong supporter of the Union and was a leader of the Radical Republicans. He was a key figure in the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson and was a strong advocate for Reconstruction. His legacy is one of courage and dedication to the cause of civil rights and education reform.

Date modified: Apr 5, 2023
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