Samuel A. McElwee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel A. McElwee
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McElwee in 1887
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| Tennessee House of Representatives | |
| In office 1883–1888 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1857 Haywood County, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | October 21, 1914 (aged 56–57) Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Fisk University Central Tennessee College |
| Occupation | Attorney, Politician, Activist |
Samuel A. McElwee was an important lawyer and politician in the United States. He was born into slavery in 1857 in Haywood County, Tennessee. His parents were Robert and Georgianna McElwee. After slavery ended, he became a lawyer. He also became a very important leader for the Republican Party in Haywood County.
McElwee served in the Tennessee General Assembly from 1883 to 1888. This is the state government that makes laws. He was the first African American to serve three terms in this government. He was also the first African American to be nominated to be the Speaker of the House. The Speaker is the leader of the House of Representatives.
Contents
Samuel McElwee's Early Life and Education
After slavery ended, Samuel's family moved to a farm in Haywood County in 1866. He went to schools set up by the Freedmen's Bureau. He said that his former slave master's children taught him to read when he was very young. This helped him learn quickly in school.
In 1875, he went to Oberlin College in Ohio for one year. Then he came back to the South. He worked as a teacher for three years. He studied subjects like Latin, German, and mathematics on his own. A student from Vanderbilt University helped him get a special scholarship. This scholarship allowed him to attend Fisk University. He started at Fisk in 1878 and finished his studies in 1883.
His Career in Law and Politics
While Samuel McElwee was still a student at Fisk University, he was elected to the General Assembly. This was for his home county, Haywood County. He also opened a grocery store there. At the same time, he began studying law on his own.
While he was serving in the state government, he also went to law school. He studied at Central Tennessee College in Nashville. He earned his law degree in 1886.
Serving in the State Government
During his second term in 1885, Samuel McElwee was nominated to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives. This was a big honor. He received 32 out of 93 votes. He was also the head of the Republican Convention in Tennessee. In 1884, he was a delegate to the national Republican convention in Chicago.
He was the first African American to be elected three times to the state government in Tennessee. In 1887, he gave a speech at the Tuskegee Institute. In the same year, during his third term, he suggested a new law. This law would help make sure that jury selections were more fair. However, the bill was not passed.
Facing Challenges and Moving On
Samuel McElwee served in government during a difficult time. This was when Jim Crow laws were in place. These laws created unfair rules against African Americans. In 1888, he tried to get elected for a fourth term. But he did not win. This was because of unfair voting practices and threats.
Because of unsafe conditions for African Americans, McElwee and his family left Haywood County. He started a newspaper and a law firm in Nashville. But in July 1901, he and his family moved to Chicago. He started a law practice there and lived the rest of his life in Chicago. He passed away on October 21, 1914.
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