Charles Oscar Harris (August 5, 1852 - October 8, 1913) was an American public official and state legislator in Alabama.[1][2]
He was born August 5, 1852, in Tuskegee, Alabama (or Georgia[1]) and studied at Oberlin College in Ohio and Howard University in Washington D.C.[3] He returned to Alabama and served in the Alabama House of Representatives in 1876 and 1877.[4] He served as a Republican, and attended the Republican National Conventions as a delegate eights times.[3]
In March 1875 Harris along with other prominent African Americans form Montgomery purchased tickets to white-only seats in the local theatre in an attempt to test the 1875 Civil Rights Act.[3] Being duly denied the seats they took the issue to the courts.[3][5]
After his service to the legislature he had a long career as a mailing clerk serving under the terms of seven presidents and four postmasters.[6]
He died October 8, 1913, and had still been working as a clerk in the Montgomery postoffice.[6]
A historical marker is at his home site at 813 Adams Avenue in Montgomery,[3] it was dedicated April 27, 2019.[7] His descendants with the surname Hilyer passed as white.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Foner, Eric; Foner, Professor of History Eric; Culture, Schomburg Center for Research in Black (February 24, 1993). Freedom's Lawmakers: A Directory of Black Officeholders During Reconstruction. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195074062 – via Google Books.
- ^ HU Journal, Volume 11 Issue 4, Howard University
- ^ a b c d e "Charles Oscar Harris Family Home Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org.
- ^ "House of Representatives - Alabama 1876". The Montgomery Advertiser. 1876-08-30. p. 1. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Civil Rights Again on Trial". The Weekly Advertiser. 1875-03-17. p. 3. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Old Negro Mailing Clerk Dead; Served Under Seven Presidents". The Montgomery Advertiser. 1913-10-09. p. 3. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Charles Oscar Harris commemorative plaque". The Montgomery Advertiser. 2020-11-27. pp. A2. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Charles Oscar Harris plaque commemoration". www.montgomeryadvertiser.com.
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