White, George Henry, 1852-1918

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George Henry White (December 18, 1852 – December 28, 1918) was an American attorney and politician, elected as a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district between 1897 and 1901. He later became a banker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and in Whitesboro, New Jersey, an African-American community he co-founded. White is the last African-American Congressman during the beginning of the Jim Crow era and the only African American to serve in Congress during his tenure.

In North Carolina, "fusion politics" between the Populist and Republican parties led to a brief period of renewed Republican and African-American political success in elections from 1894 to 1900, when White was elected to Congress for two terms after serving in the state legislature. After the Democratic-dominated state legislature passed a suffrage amendment that disenfranchised blacks in the state, White did not seek a third term. He moved permanently to Washington, D.C., where he had a law practice and became a banker, moving again to Philadelphia in 1906.

After White left office, no other African American served in Congress until 1929. No African American was elected to Congress again from a former Confederate state until Barbara Jordan's election in 1972. No African American was elected to Congress from North Carolina until 1992.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn George Henry White : an even chance in the race of life
creatorOf Defense of the Negro race, charges answered : speech of Hon. George H. White of North Carolina, in the House of Representatives, January 29, 1901. University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University Libraries, UNCG University Libraries
Place Name Admin Code Country
District of Columbia DC US
Philadelphia PA US
Whitesboro NJ US
Tarboro NC US
Rosindale NC US
Columbus County NC US
New Bern NC US
Subject
Occupation
Bankers
Lawyers
Principals
Representatives, U.S. Congress
State Representative
Activity

Person

Birth 1852-12-18

Death 1918-12-28

Male

Americans

English

Information

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