African-American officeholders in the United States, 1789–1866

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In 1836, Alexander L. Twilight became the first African American to be elected as a state legislator in the United States. Alexander Lucius Twilight (daguerrotype).jpg
In 1836, Alexander L. Twilight became the first African American to be elected as a state legislator in the United States.

The United States has had five African-American elected office holders prior to 1867. After Congress passed the First Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 and ratified the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1870, African Americans began to be elected or appointed to national, state, county and local offices throughout the United States. [1]

Contents

Four of the five office holders served in a New England state. Three officeholders served as state legislators.

List of African-American officeholders of the United States, 1789–1866

Political Parties

  Party affiliation not known   Republican

Officeholder State Public office Took officeLeft office Party Ref.
No image.svg
Wentworth Cheswell
(1746–1817)
New Hampshire Local School Board 1776 [4] [5] [6]
Justice of the Peace 18051817
Alexander Lucius Twilight (daguerrotype).jpg
Alexander L. Twilight
(1795–1857)
Vermont State Legislator 18361857 [7] [8] [9] [10]
John M. Langston.jpg
John Mercer Langston
(1829–1897)
Ohio Township Clerk 1854 Liberty Party of Ohio [11] [12] [13]
Edwin Walker.jpg
Edward G. Walker
(1831–1901)
Massachusetts State Legislator 18661867 Republican [14] [15] [16]
Charles Lewis Mitchell (1829-1912).png
Charles L. Mitchell
(1829–1912)
Massachusetts State Legislator 1866 Republican [15]

See also

Federal government

State and local government

See also

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References

  1. Walton, Puckett & Deskins (2012), pp. 185–186.
  2. Hewitt (1991), pp. 453.
  3. Baum (1983), pp. 62.
  4. Walton, Puckett & Deskins (2012), pp. 185 (table), 186–187.
  5. Cocom (1999).
  6. Fitts (1912), pp. 103, 468.
  7. Winter 2007.
  8. Alexander.
  9. Hahan (1998).
  10. Smith (1993), pp. 118 note 59.
  11. Walton, Puckett & Deskins (2012), pp. 14, 185 (table), 186.
  12. Smith (1993), pp. 408.
  13. United States Congress.
  14. Hurst 2008.
  15. 1 2 Walton, Puckett & Deskins (2012), pp. 14, 185 (table).
  16. Smith (1993), pp. 100, 118 note 59.

Bibliography