Osceola McKaine facts for kids

Osceola Enoch McKaine (born December 18, 1892 – died November 17, 1955) was an American speaker, businessman, and civil rights activist. He worked hard to make things fair for Black people in the United States. He also ran for the US Senate in 1944, as part of a new political group that challenged the main Democratic Party.

Early Life and School

Osceola McKaine was born in Sumter, South Carolina. He had a half-brother named Ansley Abraham. Osceola finished school at Lincoln Graded School in 1908.

A Life of Service and Activism

McKaine first worked as a merchant marine, sailing on ships. Later, he joined the US Army during World War I. He served in the 24th and 367th Infantry regiments. He traveled to places like the Philippines, Mexico, and France, and became a lieutenant.

After the war, he moved to New York City. There, he became a strong voice and organizer for the League for Democracy (LFD). This was a group of Black veterans who wanted change. He gave many public speeches and was the editor of their newspaper, New York Commoner.

McKaine then moved to Ghent, Belgium, where he owned a supper club with a partner. When World War II started, he returned to his hometown of Sumter, South Carolina. In Sumter, he led the local branch of the NAACP. The NAACP is a well-known organization that fights for civil rights.

Fighting for Equal Pay

Osceola McKaine did an important study about teacher salaries. He found that Black teachers were paid much less than white teachers. He worked hard to fix this unfairness. His efforts even led to legal actions that involved Thurgood Marshall, who later became a famous Supreme Court Justice.

Running for Office

McKaine was also an editor for the Lighthouse and Informer, a newspaper for Black communities. He became a candidate for the US Senate for a new political group called the Progressive Democratic Party. He helped start this party with John McCray from the Lighthouse and Informer.

This made McKaine the first Black person to run for a statewide office in South Carolina since the period after the Civil War, known as Reconstruction. Even though he did not win against the state's governor, Olin Johnston, his campaign brought a lot of attention to the importance of the Black vote. Because of his work, the number of Black voters in the 1940s grew from about 3,500 to 50,000 people.

Helping Other Groups

McKaine was also involved in other important organizations. These included the Southern Negro Youth Congress (SNYC) and the Southern Conference of Human Welfare (SCHW). He was the first and only Black field representative for the SCHW.

Later Years

After World War II ended, McKaine went back to Belgium. He continued to work at his supper club there.

Osceola McKaine could speak four different languages. He passed away in Brussels, Belgium, at the age of 62. He was buried in his hometown of Sumter, South Carolina, at Walker Cemetery.