A Congressman Fighting for Equality - George Henry White

 

George Henry White
December 18, 1852 - December 28, 1918

George Henry White a North Carolina native was born on December 18, 1852. George graduated from Howard University in 1877, through his course studies becoming a certified school teacher and excelled to a principal. George's attentiveness to studying law lead to a path of apprenticeship under former Superior Court Judge William J. Clarke and ultimately registered to the North Carolina Bar.

George was a republican candidate chosen to serve a term in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He assisted in growing his New Bern community by contributing to pass a law originating schools for African Americans paving the way to train more teachers in 1880. George H. White won a North Carolina Senate election in 1884, voted solicitor, and 2nd judicial district of North Carolina prosecuting attorney in 1886. In 1896 black votes were 85 percent because legislature abrogating various laws hindering black votes 2 years earlier; George became U.S. Congress for the 2nd District in Tarboro. Despite George's efforts sponsoring a bill making lynching a federal crime it didn't get pass the committee. Once George saw how black voters were being deprived of their voices. He elected to not run for U.S. Congress again. He was the last African American voted to Congress from North Carolina for years.


In 1901, George declaimed his farewell speech:

        "This is perhaps the Negroes' temporary farewell to the American Congress, but let me say, Phoenix-like he will rise up some day and come again. These parting words are on behalf of an outraged, heart-broken, bruised and bleeding, but God-fearing people; faithful, industrious, loyal, rising people – full of potential force."

George joined many civil rights organizations. He emigrated to Washington, D.C. practicing law and established the George White Land Development Company. He relocated his law practice to Philadelphia. He built Philadelphia's first black-owned commercial savings bank.


Source: https://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/whitegh/menu.html

              https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/george-henry-white-1852-1918/               https://www.searchablemuseum.com/george-henry-white       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Henry_White

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