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John Mercer Langston biography

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  • PLACE OF BIRTH: Louisa County, Virginia
  • PLACE OF DEATH: Washington, D.C.
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Black leader, educator and diplomat John Mercer Langston is believed to have been the first black person ever elected to public office in the United States.

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John Mercer Langston was born December 14, 1829 in Louisa County, Virginia. After college, he quickly became a leader among free blacks and was elected to local offices. In 1864 he helped organize the National Equal Rights League, of which he was the first president. In 1888 he was a Republican candidate from Virginia for the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in Congress from 1890 to 1891.

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