The first Black U.S. Senator was Hiram Rhodes Revels, sworn in from Mississippi on February 25, 1870. That same year, on December 12th, Joseph Hayne Rainey shattered barriers as the first Black man in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

But powering his rise was a force of unyielding resolve: his wife, Susan Elizabeth Cooper Rainey, whose quiet fortitude turned survival into triumph. 

Married in 1859 in Philadelphia, Susan—a free woman of color from South Carolina with West Indies roots—returned south with Joseph, starting a family amid gathering storms. As the Civil War erupted, South Carolina's brutal laws loomed like shadows: arrest, enslavement, or worse for free Black families daring to exist. 

In 1862, they defied the odds. Fleeing the Confederacy's grip, they escaped to Bermuda—where slavery was already banished—choosing exile's uncertainty over submission's chains. Imagine the terror of that voyage, as waves carried them to freedom. 

In Bermuda, Susan didn't just survive; she thrived as an entrepreneur, stitching dresses while Joseph barbered. Their grit rebuilt independence, paving the way for a postwar return to a fractured America. 

As Joseph navigated Reconstruction's venomous politics—facing threats and scrutiny—Susan anchored their world. She sustained the family through relentless hostility, raising three children with discipline and dignity. 

Summers in Windsor, Connecticut, brought refuge at the First Church of Windsor. There, Susan wove faith and community into a shield, fortifying her family when the nation offered none. 

Susan's legacy? Not speeches from podiums, but the fierce, everyday leadership that enabled historic change. In a time of turbulence, her actions echoed the unsung power of Black women—shaping civil rights then, inspiring justice and humanity now. 

And that, friends, ignites the music you're hearing—crafted by Dave Tabar, inspired by Susan's unyielding spirit. Sung with soul by Cleveland's Evelyn Wright, backed by Mark Walker's soul-stirring British keys, and released on Blackpool Records. 

May her legacy inspire us: in every struggle lies the spark to endure, achieve, uplift those around us, and enlighten the world.

Have a safe day.