C. H. J. Taylor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids C. H. J. Taylor
United States Minister to Liberia
In office March 11, 1887 – c. September 22, 1887
President	Grover Cleveland
Preceded by	Moses A. Hopkins
Succeeded by	Ezekiel E. Smith
Personal details
Born	1857 (1857) Marion, Alabama
Died	1899 (aged 41–42)
Political party	Democratic

Charles Henry James Taylor (1857–1899) was an important American figure. He worked as a journalist, editor, lawyer, and speaker. He also helped organize political campaigns. Taylor was an early supporter of Grover Cleveland, a Democratic president. President Cleveland appointed him as the U.S. Minister to Liberia.

Later, during Cleveland's second term, Taylor made history. He was the first African American nominated for a diplomatic job in a "white" country, Bolivia. However, the Senate did not approve this appointment. After this, he became the Recorder of Deeds for District of Columbia. He held this job until the McKinley administration began. After leaving Washington, Taylor edited a newspaper called The Southern Appeal. He also became the dean of the Law Department at Morris Brown College.

Early Life and Education

Charles Taylor was born into slavery near Marion, Alabama. This was likely in 1857, though some sources differ on the exact year. After the American Civil War, he moved with his family to Savannah. There, he attended Beach Institute, a school run by the American Missionary Association.

He might have studied at Oberlin College in Ohio. He also claimed to have studied law at the University of Michigan. However, there are no official records of him graduating from there. In 1882, he became a lawyer in Marion County, Indiana. He then worked as a deputy district attorney in Indiana.

In 1883, Taylor was teaching school in Palmyra, Missouri. There, he met and married Julia Shropshire. The next year, they moved to Kansas. This is where Taylor began his career as a public speaker and political organizer.

Working with President Cleveland

Most African Americans at that time supported the Republican Party. Taylor also first supported Republicans. He campaigned for a Republican candidate in Kansas in 1884. However, he was disappointed that Republicans did not offer many jobs to Black people.

In 1884, Taylor started his own newspaper. It was created "in the interests of democracy." In 1886, he ran for a local office in Kansas as an independent candidate.

First Term as Minister to Liberia

In 1887, President Cleveland appointed Taylor as the U.S. Minister to Liberia. Taylor stayed in Liberia for only five months. He said he returned to help Cleveland get re-elected. Later, he spoke critically about Liberian politics. He also criticized the American Colonization Society's plans for Black people to move to Africa.

Supporting Cleveland's Re-election

Before the 1888 United States presidential election, Taylor helped create the National Negro Democratic League. This group aimed to find African American candidates for important government jobs. Taylor gave speeches at Democratic conventions in Kansas and Missouri. He was also chosen as an alternate delegate for Kansas at the national Democratic convention. This was a significant achievement for an African American at that time.

Taylor campaigned for Cleveland's re-election in several important states. These included Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, and New York.

After Cleveland's First Term

After Cleveland lost the election, Taylor moved to Atlanta. He built a successful law practice there. A newspaper at the time said he was the first Black lawyer to appear in Atlanta's city court.

In 1889, he wrote a pamphlet called Whites and Blacks, or The Question Settled. In it, he argued that Black people in the South should work with white southerners. He believed this would help them gain civil liberties.

However, Taylor returned to Kansas the next year. This was possibly due to racial tensions in Georgia. He became the editor of The American Citizen, a Black newspaper in Kansas City, Kansas. He also ran for a seat in the Kansas legislature but did not win.

As the 1892 United States presidential election neared, Taylor spoke often. He spoke against alcohol prohibition and certain tariffs. He supported Democratic candidates. In 1892, he became the head of the National Negro Democratic League. This gave him a lot of power in deciding which African Americans would get government jobs after Cleveland won again.

Second Cleveland Administration

In September 1893, Cleveland nominated Taylor to be Minister to Bolivia. After nearly five months, the Senate did not approve the nomination. They claimed Bolivia would not accept a Black representative.

Cleveland then nominated Taylor to be Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia. This was also a debated choice. Local Democrats wanted someone else for the job. However, Taylor's nomination was finally approved by the Senate. This was partly due to the help of Frederick Douglass, who had held the same position before.

Taylor faced criticism during his time as Recorder. The Civil Service Commission, which included Theodore Roosevelt, found him responsible for unfair campaign fundraising. They suggested to President Cleveland that Taylor should be removed. Taylor also faced a legal dispute with a newspaper editor, Calvin Chase. Taylor won the case against Chase. President Cleveland did not remove Taylor, and he continued as Recorder of Deeds.

Later Life and Legacy

After the Democratic Party lost in 1896, Taylor practiced law in Baltimore for a while. He then became the dean of the Law Department at Morris Brown College in Atlanta. He continued to practice law, give speeches, and edit the Southern Appeal newspaper. His health declined, and he passed away in May 1899. He was buried in Baltimore.

Years later, in 1904, Taylor's relationship with Grover Cleveland became a topic of discussion. A Republican congressman claimed Cleveland had dined with Taylor. This was to counter criticism of Theodore Roosevelt for dining with Booker T. Washington. Cleveland himself denied ever having lunch with Taylor. Some suspected Cleveland wanted to run for president again and gain support from white southerners. For many, "social equality" between Black and white people was a sensitive issue.

As late as 1936, a white Democratic politician, Joseph B. Shannon, praised Taylor. He spoke at a dedication for portraits of District of Columbia Recorders of Deeds. Shannon admired Taylor's "courage and convictions." He said Taylor's courage and intelligence linked his name with other respected Black figures. These included Booker Washington, Paul Dunbar, Paul Robeson, and Countee Cullen.

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  Charles Henry James Taylor