Perry Wilbon Howard II facts for kids

Perry Wilbon Howard II (born June 14, 1877 – died February 1, 1961) was an important American attorney from Mississippi. He was a partner in a well-known law firm in Washington, D.C.. For many years, from 1924 to 1960, he served as the Republican National Committeeman for the state of Mississippi. This meant he was a key leader in the Republican Party.

In 1923, he was chosen to be a special assistant to the United States Attorney General. He held this important government job under Presidents Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover. He stepped down from this role in 1928.

Perry W. Howard faced legal questions about how he managed his political duties in Mississippi. However, he was found not guilty both times by juries. After these trials, he left his job with the United States Department of Justice. But he continued to lead the Republican Party in Mississippi and remained a member of the National Committee. He also had a very successful career as a partner in a top law firm in Washington, D.C.

Like the famous leader Booker T. Washington, Howard believed in working towards economic self-improvement and better relationships between different races. He thought these steps were more helpful than pushing for big, sudden changes.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in Mississippi

Perry W. Howard was born in Ebenezer, in Holmes County, Mississippi. His birthday was June 14, 1877. He was the seventh child of Sallie and Perry Wilbon Howard. His parents had been enslaved before the American Civil War.

His parents were highly respected in their community. They bought their own farmland and made sure all seven of their sons went to college. Perry W. Howard also had a sister, Sarah, who later moved to Washington, D.C., just like some of his brothers.

College and Law School

Howard first went to Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. This was a historically black college. After that, he studied mathematics at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

He then decided to study law. He attended the Illinois College of Law in Chicago. By 1905, Howard had passed the bar exam. This meant he could practice law. He became a member of the Mississippi Bar Association and started his law career in Jackson, the state capital. He was one of only about two dozen Black lawyers in Mississippi at that time.

In 1898, Howard married Maggie Revels. She was the daughter of Hiram Revels, who was the first Black senator from Mississippi. Sadly, Maggie passed away six months after they were married. In 1907, Howard married again. His second wife was Wilhelmina Howard. They met at Alcorn A&M College in Mississippi, where Howard was a professor of high mathematics. Wilhelmina sadly passed away in 1957. Perry and Wilhelmina had one son, Perry Wilbon Howard III.

A Career in Law and Politics

Becoming a Lawyer

Perry W. Howard became very involved in the Republican Party in Mississippi. This was challenging because many Black people in the state were not allowed to vote after 1890. This happened when white Democrats passed new laws that made it hard to register to vote.

Like many other lawyers looking for more opportunities, Howard moved to Washington, D.C.. There, he became a partner in a leading Black law firm.

Leading the Republican Party

In 1924, Howard was elected as the National Committeeman from Mississippi. He won against white Republicans. This made him the first Black person on the Republican National Committee in 25 years. In Mississippi, where one political party was in control, Republican members mostly managed the assignment of federal jobs. This is called political patronage.

Also in 1924, President Warren G. Harding appointed Howard as a special assistant to the U.S. Attorney General. This made him the highest-paid Black person in the government at that time. Even though Howard lived and worked in Washington, D.C., he kept his position as the Republican National Committeeman for Mississippi. This meant he still had control over who got federal jobs in the state.

During the 1928 United States presidential election, Howard was chosen to lead the Mississippi Republican group at the national convention. He suggested that Hamilton Fish III be nominated for vice president. The Republican ticket, with Herbert Hoover as president and Charles Curtis as vice president, won the election by a large margin.

Working in Washington, D.C.

Howard was suspended from his job in the Department of Justice before his first trial. President Herbert Hoover was interested in making sure the government was honest. Many people thought he allowed the legal questions against Howard to attract white voters to the Republican Party. However, some important Democratic leaders in Mississippi, like Governor Theodore Gilmore Bilbo, actually spoke out in Howard's defense. They were concerned about the idea of white people joining the Republican Party, which could threaten their own political power.

Facing Challenges

Political Questions

In 1928, Howard faced legal questions in Mississippi. These questions were about how he handled the assignment of government jobs in the state. The jury for these cases would have been made up of white Democrats, who were his political opponents. Black people were largely not allowed to vote or serve on juries at that time.

Howard and other Black Republican officials were tried in federal court in Jackson. Howard believed that white members of his own Republican Party were trying to harm his reputation as a Black leader. His case was covered by national newspapers like New York Times.

Standing Strong

Perry W. Howard was found not guilty twice on the charges related to political job assignments. In the first trial, his defense team pointed out that Howard had given most of the jobs he controlled to Democrats.

After the trials, the Department of Justice decided not to pursue any more cases. Howard resigned from his government job but returned to Washington, D.C. He remained an important figure in the Republican Party.

Despite some opposition in Mississippi and criticism from some national Black leaders, Howard was practical about dealing with the political situation. He held onto his position as Republican National Committeeman from Mississippi until 1960, even though he lived and worked in Washington, D.C. He led U.S. Senator Robert A. Taft's group from the South at the 1952 Republican National Convention.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1956, Howard's political group faced new challenges from a white conservative group in Mississippi. However, Howard managed to stay strong through political changes. He continued to serve as the Republican National Committeeman almost until his death. He passed away on February 1, 1961.

Mary Booze from Mound Bayou, an all-Black community, served alongside Howard. She was the national Republican committeewoman from 1924 to 1948. She was the first African-American woman to be on the Republican National Committee.