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

April 12, 2024

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]

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

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 edit

Political Parties

  Party affiliation not known   Republican

Officeholder State Public office Took office Left office Party Ref.
 
 Wentworth Cheswell
(1746–1817)
 New Hampshire Local School Board 1776 [4][5][6]
Justice of the Peace 1805 1817
 
 Alexander L. Twilight
(1795–1857)
Vermont State Legislator 1836 1857 [7][8][9][10]
 
 John Mercer Langston
(1829–1897)
Ohio Township Clerk 1854 Liberty Party of Ohio [11][12][13]
 
 Edward G. Walker
(1831–1901)
 Massachusetts State Legislator 1866 1867 Republican [14][15][16]
 
 Charles L. Mitchell
(1829–1912)
 Massachusetts State Legislator 1866 Republican [15]

See also edit

Federal government edit

State and local government edit

See also edit

References edit

  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. ^ a b Walton, Puckett & Deskins (2012), pp. 14, 185 (table).
  16. ^ Smith (1993), pp. 100, 118 note 59.

Bibliography edit

  • "Alexander Twilight". Old Stone House Museum. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  • Baum, Dale (March 1983). "Woman Suffrage and the "Chinese Question": The Limits of Radical Republicanism in Massachusetts, 1865-1876". The New England Quarterly. 56 (1): 60–77. doi:10.2307/365311. JSTOR 365311.
  • Cocom, Mario de ' y (1999). "Cheswell". Secret Daughter: The Blurred Racial Lines of Famous Families. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  • "Langston, John Mercer, (1829 - 1897)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  • Fitts, James Hill (1912). Carter (ed.). History of Newfields, New Hampshire, 1638-1911. The Rumford Press. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  • Hahan, Michael (1998). Alexander Twilight: Vermont's African American Pioneer. Shelburne, Vermont: New England Press. ISBN 978-1-881535-31-7.
  • Hewitt, John H. (Autumn 1991). "A Black New York Newspaperman's Impressions of Boston, 1883". The Massachusetts Review. 32 (3).
  • Hurst, Ryan (11 June 2008). "Walker, Edwin Garrison (1830-1901)". BlackPast.org: Remembered & Reclaimed. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  • Smith, J. Clay Jr. (1993). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812216851.
  • Walton Jr., Hanes; Puckett, Sherman C.; Deskins Jr., Donald R. (2012). The African American Electorate: A Statistical History. Congressional Quarterly Press. ISBN 9780872895089.
  • Winter, Kari J. (17 January 2007). "Twilight, Alexander (1795-1857)". BlackPast.org: Remembered & Reclaimed. Retrieved 5 January 2013.

April 12, 2024
african, american, officeholders, united, states, 1789, 1866, united, states, five, african, american, elected, office, holders, prior, 1867, after, congress, passed, first, military, reconstruction, 1867, ratified, fifteenth, amendment, united, states, consti. 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 In 1836 Alexander L Twilight became the first African American to be elected as a state legislator in the United States Four of the five office holders served in a New England state Three officeholders served as state legislators Wentworth Cheswell first served in an elective office in 1776 as a local school board member in Newmarket New Hampshire and later as a justice of the peace making him the first African American to serve as a judge He would serve in elective office until his death in 1817 Alexander Lucius Twilight was an American educator politician and minister He was the first African American to earn a college degree from an American College at Middlebury College in 1823 He is the first African American elected to serve in a state legislature the Vermont House of Representatives in 1836 Twilight was also a minister and secondary school principal building Athenian Hall at the Orleans County Grammar Schools John Mercer Langston Edward Garrison Walker state legislator in Massachusetts Charles Lewis Mitchell was the other African American elected as a state legislator in Massachusetts 1866 He served a one year term in the Massachusetts House of Representatives 2 During the American Civil War he served in the 55th Massachusetts Colored Volunteer Infantry and lost a foot during the Battle of Honey Hill 3 Contents 1 List of African American officeholders of the United States 1789 1866 2 See also 2 1 Federal government 2 2 State and local government 3 See also 4 References 5 BibliographyList of African American officeholders of the United States 1789 1866 editPolitical Parties Party affiliation not known Republican Officeholder State Public office Took office Left office Party Ref nbsp Wentworth Cheswell 1746 1817 New Hampshire Local School Board 1776 4 5 6 Justice of the Peace 1805 1817 nbsp Alexander L Twilight 1795 1857 Vermont State Legislator 1836 1857 7 8 9 10 nbsp John Mercer Langston 1829 1897 Ohio Township Clerk 1854 Liberty Party of Ohio 11 12 13 nbsp Edward G Walker 1831 1901 Massachusetts State Legislator 1866 1867 Republican 14 15 16 nbsp Charles L Mitchell 1829 1912 Massachusetts State Legislator 1866 Republican 15 See also editFederal government edit nbsp United States portal nbsp Politics portalAfrican Americans in the United States Congress List of African American United States representatives List of African American United States senators Congressional Black Caucus Congressional Black Caucus Foundation List of African American United States Cabinet members List of African American officeholders during ReconstructionState and local government edit List of African American U S state firsts List of first African American mayors List of African American statewide elected officialsSee also editList of African American officeholders 1900 1959 References edit Walton Puckett amp Deskins 2012 pp 185 186 Hewitt 1991 pp 453 Baum 1983 pp 62 Walton Puckett amp Deskins 2012 pp 185 table 186 187 Cocom 1999 Fitts 1912 pp 103 468 Winter 2007 Alexander Hahan 1998 Smith 1993 pp 118 note 59 Walton Puckett amp Deskins 2012 pp 14 185 table 186 Smith 1993 pp 408 United States Congress Hurst 2008 a b Walton Puckett amp Deskins 2012 pp 14 185 table Smith 1993 pp 100 118 note 59 Bibliography edit Alexander Twilight Old Stone House Museum Retrieved 5 January 2013 Baum Dale March 1983 Woman Suffrage and the Chinese Question The Limits of Radical Republicanism in Massachusetts 1865 1876 The New England Quarterly 56 1 60 77 doi 10 2307 365311 JSTOR 365311 Cocom Mario de y 1999 Cheswell Secret Daughter The Blurred Racial Lines of Famous Families Public Broadcasting Service PBS Retrieved 10 January 2013 Langston John Mercer 1829 1897 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress United States Congress Retrieved November 24 2013 Fitts James Hill 1912 Carter ed History of Newfields New Hampshire 1638 1911 The Rumford Press Retrieved January 10 2013 Hahan Michael 1998 Alexander Twilight Vermont s African American Pioneer Shelburne Vermont New England Press ISBN 978 1 881535 31 7 Hewitt John H Autumn 1991 A Black New York Newspaperman s Impressions of Boston 1883 The Massachusetts Review 32 3 Hurst Ryan 11 June 2008 Walker Edwin Garrison 1830 1901 BlackPast org Remembered amp Reclaimed Retrieved 5 January 2013 Smith J Clay Jr 1993 Emancipation The Making of the Black Lawyer 1844 1944 Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Press ISBN 9780812216851 Walton Jr Hanes Puckett Sherman C Deskins Jr Donald R 2012 The African American Electorate A Statistical History Congressional Quarterly Press ISBN 9780872895089 Winter Kari J 17 January 2007 Twilight Alexander 1795 1857 BlackPast org Remembered amp Reclaimed Retrieved 5 January 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title African American officeholders in the United States 1789 1866 amp oldid 1168634206, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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