When President Ulysses S. Grant took office in 1869, the country was still recovering from the Civil War. The Americans were strongly Split on issues of crime and race, and an unprecedented level of violence rocked the country.

Rising political violence saw Americans choose to revolt and reverse the progress made by the Union Army, as well as subsequent civil rights gains. Civil rights, racial equality, and election transparency were all under attack in Grant’s day.

Grant’s legacy demonstrates to Americans that the United States can overcome divisions and disagreements.

The past two years have seen the recent Black Lives Matter protests become one of the greatest movements in American history. Plus, a host of former supporters of President Donald Trump offensive the Capitol Building just over a year ago.

All of this not to mention the upsurge in violent crime across the country, including in New York, which has seen a increase 36.5% compared to the same period last year.

As current leaders search for solutions to the above problems, Ohio State will be impatient commemorate Grant’s bicentennial birth. The commemoration will take place at several Grant-related locations, including the General Grant National Memorial in Manhattan.

Grant served in the Mexican-American War before leaving the military to pursue a series of failed business ventures. He then joined the US Army and soon became its Commander-in-Chief.

He was a general admired by former President Abraham Lincoln for his aggressive battlefield tactics. Grant was then elected to the first of two terms as president in 1868.

Grant was immensely admired at the time of his death, so much so that his portrait has adorned the obverse of the fifty-dollar bill since 1913.

A reassessment of Grant’s legacy is needed now, 200 years after his birth, in a country facing similar issues.

Among Grant’s lessons in leadership was his emphasis on the importance of understanding the humanity of those who disagree with the ideas of others. Both on the battlefield and on the national stage, he called for respect for the opposition without compromising on its values.

The day the Confederate forces rendered, Grant allowed the opposing army to return home to their families. He took no prisoners but rather urged his soldiers to consider the rebels as compatriots.

On the issue of race, Grant fought mightily to protect the rights of African Americans. It was under his administration that the 15 Amendment granted African Americans the right to vote. Grant was also known for hosting many prominent African-American leaders in the White House.

When opposition to the above policies arose in the southern states, it was Grant who deployed the United States military to dismantle the Ku Klux Klan and enforce new civil rights laws. His administration oversaw thousands of arrests and worked to reduce the number of rapes and murders in the South.

Therefore, to protect the rights of all Americans, elected officials must make it clear that there is no place in communities for insurgents or generalized violence.

This may take the form of stronger crime legislation or increased police presence. Either way, there can be no room for healing or unity until this is understood and applied.

The results may not be immediate, but they are worth it.

Grant understood the need for accountability and justice before peace, first as a general and then as president.

Accordingly, elected officials must not only preach respect and solidarity among communities of color but also ensure that any threat of violence is met with unwavering determination to prevent and prosecute it.

“Let Us Have Peace”, Grant mentioned as he accepted his nomination for the presidency, words too relevant today.