- Failed to pass significant legislation during his brief term in the Senate.
- Struggled to gain acceptance from his white colleagues in the Senate.
- Faced racial discrimination and hostility throughout his life.
Struggles:
- Was the target of racist attacks and insults from white southerners.
- Had difficulty securing a job after leaving the Senate due to racial discrimination.
- Struggled financially throughout his life and often relied on the assistance of friends and family.
- Witnessed the rise of Jim Crow laws and the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South.