Hezekiah Hunter facts for kids

Hezekiah Hamilton Hunter (1837–1894) was an important American leader. He was a teacher, a minister, and a politician. He worked during a time called the Reconstruction Era. This was after the American Civil War. From 1870 to 1872, he served in the South Carolina House of Representatives. He was an African-American politician.

Early Life and Work

Hezekiah Hunter was born in 1837 in Brooklyn, New York. He was born free. His family had both African and European backgrounds. After the Civil War, in 1865, he went to the southern United States. He was sent by the American Missionary Association. His job was to teach and serve as a Presbyterian minister. He helped many people during this time of big changes.

A Voice in Politics

Hunter became a politician. He represented Charleston County, South Carolina, in the South Carolina House of Representatives. He served there from 1870 to 1872. During this time, he worked to protect people.

He wrote a letter to the United States president, Ulysses S. Grant. He asked President Grant to help stop the Ku Klux Klan. This group was causing trouble and hurting people. Hunter wanted the president to protect everyone. He wrote that the Klan made the "night hideous with the cries of poor women and children." He wanted them to be safe.

Hunter also spoke up for workers. He was worried about the Enterprise Railroad. He thought it might make it harder for draymen to find jobs. Draymen were people who used horses and carts to move goods. Hunter wanted to make sure they could still work.

See also

• African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era