PBS pinchback

Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (born May 10, 1837 in Macon , Georgia , † December 21, 1921 in Washington, DC ) was an American politician and the first African American to be the governor of a US state . Pinchback was a Republican and Governor of Louisiana from December 9, 1872 to January 13, 1873 .

Early life

Pinchback was born in Macon, Georgia to a white plantation owner and former slave Eliza Stewart. He attended Gilmore High School in Cincinnati . After his father's death in 1848, he left Cincinnati fearing that his paternal relatives would put him back into slavery . He then worked as a hotel porter and hairdresser in Terre Haute , Indiana . In 1860 Pinchback married Nina Emily. They had two daughters and four sons.

Pinchback was in Louisiana during the Civil War . There he became the only African American captain in the Union-led 1st Louisiana Native Guard .

Political career

After the war, Pinchback became a Republican member. In 1868 he was elected to the Louisiana Senate and also became President of the Senate pro tempore . After the death of Oscar Dunn , the first elected African-American lieutenant governor of a state, he succeeded Dunn as incumbent Senate President. After Governor Henry C. Warmoth was removed from office through impeachment for corruption and "theft" of governor, Pinchback succeeded him.

Next life

Pinchback's grave

After the end of his tenure as governor, Pinchback remained politically active. He was elected to both the Senate and the House of Representatives, but the election results were challenged and his democratic opponents were given parliamentary seats in his place. He later played a major role in the establishment of Southern University in 1879, the first university to be attended primarily by African Americans. In 1885 he began studying law at Straight University . He moved to New York City where he became a Marshal.

Pinchback died in Washington in 1921 and was buried in Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans , although the cemetery was reserved exclusively for whites at the time.

Others

Pinchback remained the sole African-American governor of a US state until 1990, when Douglas Wilder was elected governor of Virginia .

Web links

Commons : PBS Pinchback - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Pinchback, PBS
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Pinchback, Pinckney Benton Stewart
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	May 10, 1837
PLACE OF BIRTH	Macon , Georgia
DATE OF DEATH	December 21, 1921
Place of death	Washington, DC