George W. Albright facts for kids
George W. Albright was born in 1846 into slavery in Mississippi. He became a farmer, a teacher, and a politician. Albright was a member of the Republican Party. He represented Marshall County in the Mississippi State Senate from 1874 to 1879. This was during the end of the Reconstruction Era, a time after the American Civil War when the country was rebuilding. In 1873, Albright won his Senate seat by defeating E. H. Crump, a leader of the Ku Klux Klan.
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Early Life and Freedom
After he was freed from slavery, George Albright worked as a field hand. His father had been sold to an owner in Texas just before the American Civil War. He later joined the Union Army, which was the army of the Northern states. Sadly, his father was killed at the Battle of Vicksburg in Mississippi.
During the Civil War, Albright was part of a group called the Union League. This group encouraged people to support the Republican Party. They also shared news about the Emancipation Proclamation, which was a special order that freed many enslaved people. After the war ended, Albright went to a school run by Sheriff Nelson Gill.
A Teacher and Politician
George Albright later married a white teacher and became a teacher himself. He then entered politics, serving in the Mississippi State Senate.
Facing Challenges and Moving On
Albright faced many dangers because of his work and background. He barely escaped with his life after a dangerous encounter with members of the Ku Klux Klan. Because of these threats, Albright decided to move away. He first moved to Chicago, Kansas, and later to Colorado.
In 1937, Albright was interviewed by a newspaper called the Daily Worker. During this interview, he praised the Communist Party USA for nominating a Black man, James W. Ford, for vice-president in the 1936 presidential election.
Remembering His Legacy
In 2021, a research librarian named DeeDee Baldwin gave a special talk. She leads a project called "Against All Odds," which studies the history of African American lawmakers in Mississippi during and after the Reconstruction era. One of Albright's own ancestors was also part of this presentation, helping to share his story.
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