Related Research Articles
More than 1,500 African American officeholders served during the Reconstruction era (1865–1877) after passage of the Reconstruction Acts in 1867 and 1868 as well as in the years after Reconstruction before white supremacy, disenfranchisement, and the Democratic Party fully reasserted control in Southern states. Historian Canter Brown, Jr. noted that in some states, such as Florida, the highest number of African Americans were elected or appointed to offices after 1877 and the end of Reconstruction. The following is a partial list some of the most notable of the officeholders pre–1900.
The National Black Caucus of State Legislators(NBCSL) is an American political organization composed of African Americans elected to state legislatures in the United States and its territories.
Louisianian, also referred to as New Orleans Louisianian and The Louisianian was a semi-weekly newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Louisianian was founded in 1870 by P. B. S. Pinchback (1837–1921), an African-American legislator who was elevated to governor of Louisiana in 1872. The paper's motto was “Republican at all times, and under all circumstances”. It was one of the few 19th-century African-American newspapers that sought both black and white readers.
The 1874–75 United States Senate elections had the Democratic Party gain nine seats in the United States Senate from the Republican Party. Republicans remained in the majority, however.
Jeffrey Curtis Leach, known as Jeff Leach, is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 67, representing a portion of Collin County.
Robert James Moore (1844–?) was a teacher and Republican politician who served three terms in the Texas Legislature. He was born in Navasota, Texas in 1844. After the American Civil War, he became active in the Republican Party. He first served as a county commissioner, and was then elected to the 18th Legislature. He took office in 1883, representing the 71st District, in Washington County. He was re-elected twice. During the 1886 election cycle, Moore was jointly endorsed by the People's Party. In his first two terms, Moore lived in Brenham, and moved to Washington in his final term.
Robert Lloyd Smith was an educator, businessman, and Republican politician who served two terms in the Texas Legislature. Born a free black in Charleston, South Carolina in 1861, he moved to Texas about 1880. He served as principal of the Oakland Normal School in Colorado County in 1885. In 1890 he founded the Farmer's Home Improvement Society, a farmer's cooperative association whose purpose was to help poor blacks lift themselves out of poverty. He was first elected to the legislature in 1895 and served until 1899. He was the last African-American to serve in the Texas State Legislature until Barbara Jordan's election in the 1960s. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1896. In 1902, he was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt as Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Texas. He was an associate of Booker T. Washington and also served as a trustee of the Jeanes Foundation. He was married to Ruby Cobb and had two adopted children. He is depicted at the lower left on the Black Legislators Monument erected in 2010 at the Texas State Cemetery.
Nathan H. Haller was a politician in Texas. Enslaved before the American Civil War, he was elected member to the Texas House of Representatives in 1892 and re-elected to a second term. He was one of 52 African Americans to serve the Texas Legislature during the 19th century.
Samuel L. Woolfolk, sometimes spelled Woodfork, was a member of the Arkansas Legislature in 1891. He represented Jefferson County, Arkansas. He was included in a photo montage of African American state legislators serving in Arkansas in 1891 published in The Freeman newspaper in Indianapolis.
Meshack R. Roberts was enslaved, worked as a blacksmith, became a minister in the Methodist church, and served as state legislator and Republican Party official in Texas.
David Medlock Jr. served in the Texas legislature during the Reconstruction era. He was born in Georgia to an enslaved family that was relocated to Texas. After emancipation he settled in Limestone County, Texas with family members.
Jeremiah J. Hamilton was a school founder, carpenter, political organizer, and legislator in Texas.
Bedford G. Guy, sometimes written Bedford A. Guy, was a farmer and state legislator in Texas. He served from 1879 to 1881 as a member of the Greenback Party, although other sources have him listed as Republican. He represented Washington County, Texas.
Alonzo Sledge was a preacher and state representative in Texas. He served in the Texas House from 1879 to 1881.
Henry S. Sneed, last name sometimes spelled Snead, was enslaved before becoming a farmer and state legislator in Texas. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1876 from Waller County, Texas, Wharton County Texas, and Fort Bend County, Texas. He was one of 3 African Americans in Texas 15th legislature.
George W. Wyatt was a teacher and state legislator in Texas. He served in the Texas House of Representatives during the Eighteenth Texas Legislature from 1883 to 1885. A Republican, he and R. J. Moore were the only African Americans who served in the House during that term. He was a teacher in Hempstead, Texas when he was elected. He was photographed.
James H. Washington was a school principal and state legislator in Texas.
Doc C. Lewis was a farmer and state legislator in Texas. A Republican, he served from 1881 to 1883 during the Seventeenth Texas Legislature in the Texas House of Representatives. He was one of four African American members of the Texas House at the time.
Giles Cotton, also known as Silas Cotton, was an emancipated slave, farmer, and state legislator in Texas. A Radical Republican, he served in the Texas House of Representatives during the Reconstruction era from 1870 to 1873. He married and had seven children.
References
- ↑ "Texas Legislators: Past & Present - Mobile". lrl.texas.gov.
- ↑ "TSHA | Freeman, Jacob E." www.tshaonline.org.
- ↑ "Jacob E. Freeman Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org.
- ↑ "African-American Legislators of 19th Century | Texas Almanac". texasalmanac.com.
 | This article about a Texas politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |