Why did the freedmen petition the US congress instead of working through their state government?

Freedmen petitioned the U.S. Congress instead of their state governments primarily because many Southern states were resistant to granting them civil rights and often enacted discriminatory laws that undermined their freedoms. Congress had the authority to enforce civil rights protections and could override state legislation that perpetuated racial injustice. Additionally, the federal government was seen as a more powerful ally in the struggle for equality and social justice during the Reconstruction era.