Who were the "Radical Republicans"?

The "Radical Republicans" were indeed a faction within the Republican Party during the Reconstruction era, notably after the Civil War, who aimed to secure civil rights for freed slaves and ensure their full integration into American society. This group believed in a strong federal government role to enforce civil rights and sought to address the injustices faced by African Americans in the South. They supported measures such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fourteenth Amendment, which aimed to grant citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the United States.

Their commitment to civil rights was marked by a significant push for legislation that would help dismantle the structures of racial discrimination and promote equality, contrasting sharply with the more lenient approaches of other political factions of the time. The Radical Republicans also played a crucial role in the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, who opposed many of their initiatives. This commitment to civil rights and enforcement of Reconstruction policies solidified the Radical Republicans' legacy in American history.