Caesar Antoine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Caesar Carpentier Antoine
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| 13th Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana | |
| In office May 22, 1873 – April 24, 1877 |
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| Governor | William P. Kellogg Stephen B. Packard |
| Preceded by | P.B.S. Pinchback |
| Succeeded by | Louis A. Wiltz |
| Louisiana State Senator from Caddo Parish | |
| In office 1868–1872 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1836 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | 1921 (aged 84–85) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residences |
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| Occupation | Barber, Editor, Businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch/service | Union Army |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Unit | 7th Louisiana (Colored) Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Caesar Carpentier Antoine (1836–1921) was an important soldier, businessman, editor, and politician in Louisiana. He served as a state senator for Caddo Parish from 1868 to 1872. After that, he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. He was one of three African-American Republicans to hold this high office during the Reconstruction era. This was the time after the American Civil War when the Southern states were rebuilt. He left office in 1877. He was the last Republican to be lieutenant governor until 1988.
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About Caesar Antoine
Caesar Antoine was born in New Orleans. His father, Dominique Antoine, was a Louisiana Creole. He was also a soldier who fought in the Battle of New Orleans. Caesar's mother, Marie, came from the West Indies. She was said to be the daughter of an African chief.
Caesar's father made sure he went to private schools in New Orleans. Caesar learned to speak both French and English very well. He was part of a group of free people of color in the city. When he grew up, Antoine first worked as a barber. This was a respected job back then.
Family Life
Around 1858, Antoine started a family with Arissa Françoise Gabriel. They officially married in 1873. They had three children: Joseph, Hannah Marie, and Vincent. Joseph sadly died in a violent event in 1868. After his wife Arissa passed away, Antoine married Sylviana "Sylvia" Ross.
Serving in the Civil War
During the American Civil War, Union soldiers took control of Baton Rouge in 1862. Antoine then helped create a military company called Company I. This company was part of the 7th Louisiana (Colored) Infantry Regiment. He became a captain of this company. They fought in smaller battles until the war ended in 1865.
After the war, Antoine moved to Shreveport in northwestern Louisiana. This city is the main town of Caddo Parish. There, he started a family grocery business.
His Political Journey
Antoine soon got involved in politics. He was chosen as a Republican representative. This was for the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1867-1868. At this meeting, he pushed for fairer taxes and more rights for people. He also wanted the United States Congress to continue the Freedmen's Bureau. This group helped formerly enslaved people.
Antoine served in the Louisiana State Senate for Caddo Parish from 1868 to 1872. He worked on committees for business and education. He strongly supported creating a system of public schools in Louisiana. These schools were first started by the Reconstruction government. Antoine also worked as an editor for a newspaper called New Orleans Louisianan from 1870 to 1872. In 1875, he was appointed to the Caddo Parish School Board.
In 1872, Antoine was elected lieutenant governor. He ran with William Pitt Kellogg, who became governor. Two other African American men, Oscar J. Dunn and P.B.S. Pinchback, had been lieutenant governor before Antoine. In 1876, Republicans chose Antoine to run for a second term. He ran with Stephen B. Packard for governor. However, they lost to the Democratic candidates. This election was very close and had many disagreements.
After Reconstruction
After his time as lieutenant governor, Antoine invested in railroad and lottery businesses. He also raised racehorses. In 1880, he became the president of the Cosmopolitan Life Insurance Company. This was one of the new businesses owned by African Americans. He also partnered with P.B.S. Pinchback in a cotton business.
Not much is known about Antoine after 1887. In 1889, Louisiana changed its constitution. This new rule made it harder for African Americans to vote. It said that people could only vote if their fathers or grandfathers could vote before January 1, 1867. This rule, called the grandfather clause, stopped many African Americans from voting for a long time. This also meant they could not serve on juries or run for office.
Antoine became vice president of a group in New Orleans called the Comité des Citoyens (Citizens' Committee). This group was formed in 1890 to fight against unfair racial rules. They raised money to challenge a state law from 1890. This law, part of the Jim Crow system, forced people of different races to be separated in public places.
The committee chose Homer Plessy to test this law on a train. This led to the famous Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896. The U.S. Supreme Court decided that "separate-but-equal" facilities were legal. But in reality, facilities for black people were rarely equal. They often received less money and were not as good.
Antoine bought a small farm in Caddo Parish and owned several city properties. He died in Shreveport and was buried there.
Legacy and Honors
- In 2008, the C. C. Antoine Celebration began as an annual event in Shreveport during Black History Month.
- A special tombstone was placed at Antoine's grave on Memorial Day, May 31, 1999.
- In 1984, a park in Shreveport was named after Antoine. A sculpture of him was also placed there.
- Antoine's house in Shreveport is now a state historic site, meaning it is protected for its history.
