Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina has spent more than three decades in Congress, and he's adamant about one point: he is not the first Black congressman to serve from his state. Eight others, largely erased from public discourse, served during and after Reconstruction, clearing a path that made his tenure possible.

A framed image of the eight's portraits hangs in his office. Over the years, Clyburn says that image sparked what ultimately led him to write The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation . The book, which was published this month, restores these men to the historical record and draws lessons from their lives.

Morning Edition host Michel Martin spoke with Clyburn about the book and what he hopes readers will lear

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