Macon Bolling Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Macon Bolling Allen
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| Born |
Allen Macon Bolling
August 4, 1816 Indiana, U.S.
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| Died | October 15, 1894 (aged 78) Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Resting place | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Other names | Allen Macon Bolling |
| Occupation | Lawyer, judge |
| Known for | First African-American lawyer and Second African-American Justice of the Peace |
| Spouse(s) | Emma Allen; Hannah Allen |
| Children | 7 |
Macon Bolling Allen (born Allen Macon Bolling; August 4, 1816 – October 15, 1894) was a very important person in American history. He is believed to be the first African American to become a lawyer. He was also the first to argue a case in front of a jury. Later, he became the second African American to hold a judge's position in the United States.
Allen passed his law exam in Maine in 1844. He then became a Massachusetts Justice of the Peace in 1847. After the American Civil War, he moved to South Carolina. There, he worked as a lawyer. He was elected as a judge in 1873 and again in 1876. After the Reconstruction Era, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he continued his law career.
Contents
Macon Bolling Allen's Career
Becoming a Lawyer
Macon Bolling Allen was born in Indiana. His birth name was A. Macon Bolling. In the early 1840s, he moved to New England. He changed his name to Macon Bolling Allen in Boston in January 1844.
Soon after, Allen moved to Portland, Maine. He began studying law there. He worked as an apprentice for Samuel Fessenden, a local lawyer who was against slavery. In April 1844, a court in Portland did not allow Allen to become a lawyer. They said he was not a resident of Maine.
Allen tried again to become a lawyer by taking an exam. This method did not require him to be a resident. He faced a difficult examination committee. But his teacher, Fessenden, said Allen was very qualified. On July 3, 1844, Allen received his license to practice law in Maine. This made him the first African American lawyer in the United States.
It was hard for Allen to find legal work in Maine. Most white people were not willing to hire a Black lawyer. Also, few Black people lived in Maine at that time.
Allen moved back to Boston, Massachusetts. He was allowed to practice law there in May 1845. In October 1845, he handled a jury trial. This is believed to be the first time an African American lawyer argued a case in front of a jury in the U.S. The case was about a disagreement over a contract. Allen's client lost, but the jury decided they owed less money than the other side asked for.
Life was still difficult for Allen in Boston. Because of racial prejudice, it was hard for him to earn a living. In 1845, he wrote a letter saying it was hard to find clients. He wondered if he would do better in New York City, where more African Americans lived.
Serving as a Judge
In 1847, Allen passed a difficult exam. He became a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex County, Massachusetts. This made him the second African American to hold a judge's position in the U.S. The first was Wentworth Cheswell in 1805. As a Justice of the Peace, Allen handled small crimes and minor legal claims.
After the Civil War, Allen moved to Charleston, South Carolina. He opened a law office with two other African American lawyers. Their names were William Whipper and Robert Elliott. Their firm, Whipper, Elliott, and Allen, was the first known African American law firm in the country. Allen helped Black people who were facing serious legal problems.
In 1873, the state legislature in South Carolina chose Allen to be a judge. He became a judge for the Charleston County Criminal Court. He served in this role for three years. In 1876, he was elected as a probate judge for Charleston County. He won against the white judge who held the position before him.
Later Career and Life
At the end of the Reconstruction period, Allen moved to Washington, D.C.. He continued to practice law there. In 1873, he worked as a lawyer for a company called the Land and Improvement Association.
Allen and his first wife, Emma Levy, had six children while living in the Boston area. Two of their children died when they were young. The family lived in Dedham for some years.
After moving to South Carolina, Allen and Emma had another child. Emma and another child passed away in 1870. Allen married his second wife, Hannah Weston, before 1880.
Macon Bolling Allen died in Washington, D.C., in 1894. He was 78 years old.
Important Dates
- 1816: Born in Indiana.
- 1844: Changes his name to Macon Bolling Allen in Boston.
- 1844: Becomes a lawyer in Maine on July 3.
- 1845: Becomes a lawyer in Massachusetts on May 3.
- 1847: Becomes a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex County.
- 1868: Moves to Charleston, South Carolina. He joins the first known African American law firm.
- 1873: Elected judge of Charleston County Criminal Court.
- 1876: Elected probate judge in Charleston County.
- 1894: Dies in Washington, D.C., on October 10.
