How Many Members of Congress from Alabama Were Slaveowners?

 The Washington Post has published a study of members of the U.S. Congress who "owned" slaves.

The Post concluded that 1,715 members of Congress were enslavers at some point in their adult lives, including at least one lawmaker who held Native Americans in bondage. Evidence suggests that another 3,166 congressmen did not enslave anyone. The Post could not find enough evidence to reach a conclusion about 677 congressmen. As more information comes to light, The Post will update the database.

Broken down by state...how many ALABAMA members of Congress were slaveowners?

a) 71

b) 732

c) 950

d) 2,000 

The totals for Alabama go from 1818 with John Crowell and end with Reobert Stell Hefflin in 1871. In all a) is correct.

And included on the Alabama list of 71 Alabama Congress members who were also slave-owners is a familiar name:

Sen. Edmund Pettus enslaved a 60-year-old woman. Pettus later won election to Congress based on his reputation as a Ku Klux Klan leader and his opposition to the constitutional amendments that granted Black Americans full rights of citizenship. He served in Congress until his death in 1907, and the famed Selma, Ala., bridge where civil rights leaders were assaulted during their campaign for equality remains named in his honor.

A View From The Bridge

 HERE is the Washington Post story.