African American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era facts for kids
More than 1,500 African American officeholders served during the Reconstruction era (1865–1877). This was a special time after the American Civil War when the United States worked to rebuild the Southern states and give rights to formerly enslaved people. These brave leaders held important jobs in government. They served in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and in state and local governments.
Many African Americans were elected or appointed to offices. This happened especially after new laws called the Reconstruction Acts were passed in 1867 and 1868. Even after Reconstruction officially ended in 1877, some continued to serve. However, new laws and practices, often called white supremacy and disenfranchisement, later made it very hard for African Americans to vote or hold office. This list shares some of the most important officeholders before the year 1900.
Contents
U.S. Senate
African Americans made history by serving in the U.S. Senate.
- Hiram Rhodes Revels (Republican), Senator from Mississippi (1870-1871). He was the first African American U.S. Senator.
- Blanche Bruce (Republican), Senator from Mississippi (1875-1881). He was the first African American to serve a full term in the Senate.
- P. B. S. Pinchback was elected by Louisiana in 1873. However, the Senate did not allow him to take his seat.
U.S. House
Many African Americans also served in the United States House of Representatives. They worked to represent their states and communities.
Alabama
More than 100 African Americans served in the Alabama Legislature between 1868 and 1878.
State Senate
Some notable state senators included:
- Benjamin F. Royal representing Bullock County (1868-1876)
- Jeremiah Haralson from Dallas County
House
Many African Americans served in the Alabama House of Representatives.
- In 1868, members like Benjamin F. Alexander and Horace King served.
- In 1870, Henry A. Cochran and Jere Haralson were among those serving.
- The 1872 Legislature included James K. Greene and Lawrence S. Speed.
- In 1874, Hershel V. Cashin and Greene S. W. Lewis were members.
- Later, in 1876, William H. Blevins and Charles O. Harris served.
- By 1878, Hugh A. Carson and George English were in the House.
Other
- William Hooper Councill worked as a clerk in the Alabama legislature.
Arkansas
Between 1868 and 1893, 85 African American men served in Arkansas's state legislature. This was possible due to the 1868 Arkansas Constitution. After 1893, it would be many years until another African American served.
Statewide officeholders
- Joseph Carter Corbin was the state superintendent of public schools (1873-1875).
Arkansas Constitutional Convention
- William Henry Grey and James T. White helped write the 1868 Arkansas Constitution.
Arkansas Senate
Senators included:
- James T. White (1871)
- Anthony Stanford (1877-1880)
- George Waltham Bell (1891)
Arkansas House
Many African Americans served in the Arkansas House.
- Early members (1868-1870) included Anderson Louis Rush and William Henry Grey.
- James M. Alexander (1871) was the first African American justice of the peace.
- Later, William Hines Furbush (1878) and John H. Carr (1889, 1891, 1893) served.
Local office
- Mifflin Wistar Gibbs served as a judge in Arkansas.
Colorado
House
- John T. Gunnell (1881)
- Joseph H. Stuart (1895)
Local offices
- Henry O. Wagoner was a clerk in the first Colorado State Legislature in 1876.
Florida
- Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs held important statewide roles as Florida Secretary of State and Secretary of Public Instruction.
Senate
Senators included:
- Charles H. Pearce, who served for many years (1870 to 1884).
- Josiah T. Walls, who also served in the U.S. House.
House
Many African Americans served in the Florida House of Representatives.
- Richard Horatio Black served in 1869 and 1870.
- William Bradwell was a delegate to the 1868 Florida Constitutional Convention.
- Richard Lewis Brown Sr. served in 1881 and 1883.
- Oliver J. Coleman served multiple terms and also as a county commissioner.
- Thomas Van Renssalaer Gibbs, son of Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs, also served.
Local officials
- James Page (minister) was a Leon County commissioner.
Georgia
Senate
State senators included:
House
Many African Americans served in the Georgia House.
- Abram Colby and Henry McNeal Turner were notable members.
- Other representatives included James Ward Porter and William Henry Harrison.
- Hercules Wilson served from 1882-1885.
- Lectured Crawford served multiple terms, even into the 1900s.
Illinois
House
Indiana
- James S. Hinton was the first African American to serve in the Indiana state legislature (1881–1882).
Kansas
- Alfred Fairfax was the first African American to serve in the Kansas state legislature (1888–1889).
Louisiana
In Louisiana, 24 African Americans served in the Louisiana Senate and over 100 in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Six black men held statewide office.
- Oscar James Dunn was acting governor of Louisiana (May - July 1871).
- P.B.S. Pinchback was also acting governor (December 1872 - January 1873).
Three African Americans served as Louisiana's lieutenant governor:
- Oscar James Dunn (1868–1871) was the first African American elected to a state-level position in the U.S.
- P.B.S. Pinchback (1872)
- Caesar Antoine (1873-1877)
Others served as secretary of state, state treasurer, and state superintendent of education.
- Antoine Dubuclet was the state treasurer.
Members of the Louisiana Senate
Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Curron J. Adolphe
- Pierre Caliste Landry
- Milton Morris
Local offices
- Pierre Caliste Landry was the mayor of Donaldsonville. He was the first African American mayor elected in the United States.
- James Lewis was an administrator of public improvements in New Orleans.
Maryland
Local offices
- William Butler was a member of the Annapolis Board of Aldermen (1873).
- William H. Day was Baltimore Inspector of Schools.
Massachusetts
House
- Edward G. Walker (1866)
- Charles L. Mitchell (1866)
- Lewis Hayden (1873)
- Julius C. Chappelle (1883)
Local offices
- James Monroe Trotter was a mail agent.
Michigan
House
- William Webb Ferguson (1893)
- Joseph H. Dickinson (1897)
Local offices
- Samuel C. Watson served on the State Board of Estimates and Detroit City Council.
Minnesota
- John Francis Wheaton was the first African American to serve in the Minnesota state legislature (1899–1900).
Mississippi
Mississippi was the only state to elect African American candidates to the U.S. Senate during Reconstruction. However, the Mississippi Plan was a violent effort to stop African Americans from voting and holding office.
U.S. Senate
- Hiram Rhodes Revels (Republican), Senator from Mississippi (1870-1871)
- Blanche Bruce (Republican), Senator from Mississippi (1875-1881)
Members of the Mississippi Senate
- Blanche Bruce served as a state senator before becoming a U.S. Senator.
- James Hill later became Mississippi Secretary of State.
- T. W. Stringer (1870)
Members of the Mississippi House of Representatives
Many African Americans served in the Mississippi House.
- Jesse Freeman Boulden
- John R. Lynch later served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- James J. Spelman also served as a justice of the peace.
- Lawrence W. Overton represented Noxubee County in 1876.
Other
- Thomas Cardozo was Mississippi Superintendent of Education.
- Alexander K. Davis was Lieutenant Governor.
- James D. Lynch was the Secretary of State of Mississippi.
Nebraska
Members of the Nebraska House of Representatives
- Matthew Oliver Ricketts (1893 - 1897)
Local offices
- Edwin R. Overall was appointed mail carrier in 1869.
North Carolina
- Israel Abbott was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives (1872-1874).
- James Walker Hood was a commissioner for public schools.
- John S. Leary served in the state legislature and as an alderman.
Ohio
Members of the Ohio Senate
- John Patterson Green (1892)
Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
- George W. Williams (1879)
- John Patterson Green (1882)
- Benjamin W. Arnett (1886)
- Harry Smith served multiple terms (1894-1898, 1899-1902).
Local offices
- Jeremiah A. Brown held several local government roles in Cleveland.
- Robert James Harlan was a mail agent.
South Carolina
South Carolina had many African American leaders during Reconstruction.
- Richard H. Cain served in the South Carolina Senate and later in the U.S. House.
- Francis Lewis Cardozo was Secretary of State and State Treasurer.
- Robert B. Elliott was a State House lawmaker and U.S. Representative.
- Robert Smalls served in the South Carolina House, Senate, and U.S. House.
- Alonzo J. Ransier was Lt. Governor of South Carolina and later a U.S. Congressman.
- Jonathan J. Wright was a state senator and the first Black Associate Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court.
Members of South Carolina Senate
- Henry E. Hayne
- William B. Nash
- Stephen A. Swails
- Joseph H. Rainey
Members of South Carolina House of Representatives
Many African Americans served in the South Carolina House.
- William Adamson
- Robert C. DeLarge
- Robert B. Elliott
- Samuel J. Lee
- Thomas E. Miller
- Robert Smalls
Local offices
- Harrison N. Bouey was a probate judge.
Tennessee
- Sampson W. Keeble (1873) was the only African American in the Tennessee Legislature during the 1870s.
- More followed in the 1880s, like John W. Boyd and Samuel A. McElwee. They worked for schools for African Americans and voting rights.
Texas
Four African Americans were elected to the Texas Senate, and 32 others served in the Texas House of Representatives.
Members of the Texas Senate
- George Thompson Ruby (1870-1871 and 1873)
- Walter Moses Burton (1874-1883)
- Matthew Gaines (1870-1873)
Members of the Texas House of Representatives
- Richard Allen (1869)
- Walter E. Riptoe
- Robert Lloyd Smith
Virginia
Reconstruction in Virginia lasted from 1869 to 1890.
Members of the Virginia Senate
- James W. D. Bland (1869-1870)
- Daniel M. Norton served multiple terms (1871-1873 and 1877-1887).
- George Teamoh (1869-1871)
Members of the Virginia House of Delegates
Many African Americans served in the Virginia House of Delegates.
- William H. Andrews (1869-1871)
- Edward David Bland (1879-1884)
- Henry Cox served for many years (1869-1877).
- Peter J. Carter (1871-1878)
- Richard G. L. Paige served multiple terms (1871-1875 and 1879-1882).
- Robert Norton (1869-1872 and 1881-1882)
Virginia Constitutional Convention
- Thomas Bayne
- John Wesley Cromwell was Clerk of the Virginia Constitutional Convention (1867).
Washington
- William Owen Bush was the first African American to serve in the Washington state legislature (1889–1891).
West Virginia
- Christopher Payne was the first African American to serve in the West Virginia state legislature (1896).
Wyoming
- William Jefferson Hardin was the first African American to serve in the Wyoming state legislature (1879 - 1883).
Washington, D.C.
- Solomon G. Brown served in the House of Delegates for Washington D.C. (1871-1874).
- John Mercer Langston was appointed to the Board of Health.
- William E. Matthews was the first black person to receive an appointment in the United States Postal Service in Washington D.C. (1870).
See Also
- List of African-American United States Representatives
- List of African-American United States Senators
- List of African-American officeholders (1900–1999)
- List of African-American officeholders (2000–present)
- List of African-American state legislators
- Black officeholders during the Reconstruction era
