popular public figures. .eople listen to what they say announcer: well, we will end it there, william seale. seale: thank you, john. announcer: and you are watching american history tv on c-span3. announcer: a live conference on reconstruction and the legacy of the civil war. topics include refugee camps, career after the civil war, and reconstruction in the north. about theso hear return of the confederate veteran and the origins of the lost cause. it is hosted by the civil war institute from gettysburg, pennsylvania, coverage beginning at 1:00 p.m. eastern time. reconstruction and the legacy of the civil war, only on american history tv here on c-span3. announcer: exploring the history of the united states through objects. up next, we visit capitol hill and ak to a historian curator about the history of african americans in congress in the 19th mr. wasniewski: the story is not one everybody is familiar with. we had 22 african-americans served between 1870 and 1901. 20 in the house, two in the senate. it has to do with the role of congress during the civil war, and in the decade after. dur