James Sidney Hinton
| James Sidney Hinton | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the Marion County district |
|
| In office 1881–1882 |
|
| Succeeded by | Samuel A. Ebert |
James Sidney Hinton (December 25, 1834 – November 6, 1892)[1] was the first African American to hold state office in Indiana, and the first African American to serve in the Indiana state legislature. He was a staunch Republican.[1]
Early life and education
Hinton was born in 1834 to John Cooper Hinton and Hannah Mitchell Hinton, free blacks in Raleigh, North Carolina.[2][3] His father was a successful builder of skylights.[2] He moved with his parents to Terre Haute, Indiana in 1848.[1] There he helped support his family by working part-time as a barber while attending a subscription school organized by the local African-American community for four years, followed by a Quaker high school in Hartford in Vigo County for two years.[2][3][4]
Hinton later attended the Union Literary Institute in Union City, Indiana (known in some sources as the "Greenville Institute" or "Darke County Seminary").[5] The Institute, part of the Greenville Settlement which straddled the Indiana-Ohio state line, was also attended by Hiram Revels, who would become the first African-American United States Senator.[5]
In 1859, Hinton was elected Grand Master of the Indiana lodge of the Prince Hall Masons.[6][7]
At the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Hinton sought to enlist in the Union Army in Indiana but was turned away because of his race.[6] When African Americans were allowed to enlist in 1863, Hinton accepted a lieutenant's commission and became a recruiting officer for various Union regiments, including the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and 28th Indiana Infantry Regiment (Colored).[1][3][8]
In 1862, Hinton moved to Indianapolis, which remained his home for the duration of his life, and where he set up a real estate business.[2] There he married Eliza J. Mitchell.[6]
Political career
After the Civil War, Hinton became known as a powerful Republican campaigner, speaking in numerous states.[6] His rise in political status was propelled by his strong ties to the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Masons.[1]
In 1872, Hinton was elected as an at-large delegate to the Republican National Convention.[1] He was one of only two African-American delegates there.[6]
From 1874 to 1878,[3] Hinton served as a trustee of the Wabash and Erie Canal, becoming Indiana's first African-American holder of statewide office.[1]
In 1880, Hinton was elected to represent Marion County in the Indiana State House. He served only one term, being defeated in the next primary by Dr. Samuel A. Elbert, also African-American but who failed to win the general election.[9] Nonetheless, Hinton remained politically active thereafter.
Death and legacy
In 1892, after giving a speech in support of the Republican campaign in Brazil, Indiana, Hinton collapsed and died.[1] He is buried in Indianapolis' historic Crown Hill Cemetery.[10]
In 2014, a bust of Hinton was unveiled at the Indiana State Capitol, where it stands on the second floor alongside the bust of U.S. Representative Julia Carson as part of a permanent Black history display.[11] Both sculptures are the work of Jon Hair.[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ John R. Gregg, "Standing with Black trailblazer John R. Hinton" in Indianapolis Recorder (Feb. 23, 2012), available athttp://www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_05b65d42-5e36-11e1-a4a4-0019bb2963f4.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Gregg op-ed
- ↑ encyclo at p. 240
- ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7183765/james-sidney-hinton
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
