Charles H. Mahoney facts for kids

Charles Henry Mahoney (born May 29, 1886 – died January 29, 1966) was an American lawyer, politician, and businessman. He made history as the first African American chosen to represent the United States at the United Nations. He was also the first African American to serve on important groups like the Detroit Planning Commission and the Michigan Labor Council.

Early Life and Education

Charles Henry Mahoney was born in Decatur, Michigan, on May 29, 1886. His parents were Barney and Viora Simpson. He went to grade school in Decatur.

Mahoney later attended Olivet College. His professors there remembered him for giving an amazing speech. He then earned his college degree from Fisk University. After that, he studied law at the University of Michigan. He finished law school in 1911.

Career and Public Service

In 1918, the mayor of Detroit, James Couzens, chose Mahoney to join the Detroit City Planning Commission. This made Mahoney the first African American to serve on this important city group.

In 1925, a group called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hired Mahoney. He worked as a defense lawyer for Dr. Ossian Sweet and ten others. They had been accused of a serious crime. Mahoney later worked with a famous lawyer named Clarence Darrow on the case. Dr. Sweet was found not guilty.

Mahoney also had a successful business career. In 1928, he helped start the Great Lakes Mutual Insurance Company. He was the company's first president until 1957. In 1939, the Governor of Michigan, Frank Fitzgerald, appointed him to the Michigan Department of Labor and Industry.

A big moment came on July 26, 1954. President Dwight D. Eisenhower chose Mahoney to be part of a special group. This group would represent the United States at the United Nations General Assembly. Mahoney was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 7, 1954. He was one of nine members in the group, led by Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.. This made him the first African American delegate to the United Nations.

In 1955, Mahoney helped create the Public Bank of Detroit. He became a member of its board of directors. Mahoney was a member of the Republican Party. He ran for Congress twice but did not win.

Death

Charles Henry Mahoney passed away on January 29, 1966. He died at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. He was buried at the Evergreen Cemetery in Detroit.