James T. Rapier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James T. Rapier
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 2nd district |
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| In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Waldron Buckley |
| Succeeded by | Jeremiah Norman Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Thomas Rapier
November 13, 1837 Florence, Alabama |
| Died | May 31, 1883 (aged 45) Montgomery, Alabama |
| Political party | Republican |
James Thomas Rapier (born November 13, 1837 – died May 31, 1883) was an important politician from Alabama. He lived during a time called the Reconstruction Era. This was after the American Civil War.
James Rapier served as a U.S. Representative for Alabama. He was in Congress from 1873 to 1875. He was born free in Alabama. He studied in Canada and earned a law degree in Scotland. Later, he became a lawyer in Tennessee.
Rapier was a well-known figure in the Republican Party. He was one of only seven Black members in the 43rd Congress. In 1874, he worked hard to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1875. This law aimed to give everyone equal access to public places. The U.S. Supreme Court later said parts of it were not allowed in 1883. This was the last federal civil rights law for many years. Parts of it were used again in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Civil Rights Act of 1968.
James Rapier was born free in 1837 in Florence, Alabama. His father, John H. Rapier, was a successful barber. His parents were known as free people of color. James had three older brothers. His father became free in 1829. His mother was born into a free Black family in Baltimore, Maryland. She passed away in 1841 when James was only four years old.
In 1842, James and his brother John Jr. moved to Nashville, Tennessee. They lived with their grandmother, Sally Thomas. There, they went to a school for African-American children. They learned to read and write.
James Rapier's Education Journey
In 1856, Rapier traveled to Canada. He went with his uncle, Henry Thomas. His uncle settled in Buxton, Ontario. This was a community mainly for Black people. Many African Americans who escaped slavery came here. They built a strong community. Rapier attended the Buxton Mission School. This school was highly respected. It offered a strong education.
He continued his studies in three steps. First, he earned a teaching degree in 1856. He got it from a normal school in Toronto. Then, he went to Scotland to study at the University of Glasgow. After returning to Canada, he finished his law degree. He studied at Montreal College. Then, he was allowed to practice law.
Return to the U.S. and Public Service
After teaching at the Buxton Mission School, Rapier moved. In 1864, he went to Nashville, Tennessee. He attended Franklin College. This was a college mainly for Black students. He earned a teaching certificate there.
Rapier worked as a reporter for a newspaper. He also bought 200 acres of land in Tennessee. He became a cotton planter. He gave an important speech at the Tennessee Negro Suffrage Convention. This meeting was about Black voting rights.
He kept fighting for Black people's right to vote. But he was sad when former Confederates returned to state offices. In 1866, Rapier went back to Alabama. His father needed help. There, he bought 550 acres and grew cotton again. He became active in the Republican Party. He was a delegate for the state's constitutional convention in 1867.
In 1870, Rapier ran for Alabama Secretary of State. He did not win. But in 1872, he was elected to the Forty-third United States Congress. He represented Alabama's 2nd congressional district. He was one of three African-American congressmen from Alabama during Reconstruction. In Congress, he worked on national issues. Rapier suggested creating a land bureau. This bureau would give Western lands to freedmen. He also proposed that Congress give $5 million for public education in Southern schools.
He was one of seven Black Congressmen at that time. In 1874, they all spoke up for the Civil Rights Act of 1875. This act was signed into law in 1875. Rapier shared his own experiences. He recalled being turned away from every inn. This happened on his journey from Montgomery, Alabama, to Washington, D.C. He was a U.S. Congressman, but still faced discrimination. He said that in America, the main difference was "color." He felt "half slave and half free." He had political rights but not civil rights.
After losing his re-election in 1874, Rapier received a new job. The Republican president appointed him. He became a collector for the Internal Revenue Service in Alabama. He served in this role until he passed away. He spoke out against the Democratic Party's "Redeemer" government in Alabama. But Democrats took control of the state legislature in 1874. They passed laws that created Jim Crow rules. These rules separated people by race. In 1901, white Democrats passed a new state constitution. It required poll taxes and literacy tests to vote. These rules made it very hard for most Black people to vote. Many poor white people also lost their voting rights. This lasted for decades.
Rapier passed away in Montgomery, Alabama on May 31, 1883. He died from tuberculosis. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. The papers of the Rapier Family are kept at Howard University.
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