Monday, April 27, 2009

First Black Signature On US Currency




By JASMIN K. WILLIAMS


Today's page looks at the pioneering political career of Sen. Blanche Kelso Bruce of Mississippi.

Blanche Kelso Bruce was a man of firsts. Although not the first black to serve in the United States, Senate (Hiram Revels did that in 1870), Bruce was the first black to be elected to a full six-year term. He was also the first black man to have his signature printed on money when, in 1878, he served as the register of the US Treasury.

Bruce was a powerbroker who amassed a fortune in real estate. Wealthy and well-connected, he organized a strong black political machine and went on to build America's first black dynasty.

Bruce was born on March 1, 1841, in Farmville, Va. His mother, Polly, was a slave. His father, Pettus Perkinson, was her owner and the son-in-law of her first owner, Lemuel Bruce.

Bruce was the personal servant of his brother, William and was schooled by his private tutor. Bruce was a good student and loved to read.

When the Civil War broke out, Bruce tried to enlist with the Union Army, but was rejected because he was black. He went to Lawrence, Kan., and became a teacher. He later went to Hannibal, Mo., where, in 1864, he organized the first school for black children in that state. He attended Oberlin College but when his money ran out, he became a steamboat porter. He later moved to Mississippi in search of better employment.

Bruce heard a speech by Republican gubernatorial candidate James Alcorn in 1869 that would change his life and inspire him to go into politics. Bruce was articulate and charismatic. His political star began to rise quickly.

Adelbert Ames -- himself a Mississippi governor and senator -- became Bruce's mentor. Bruce became a registrar of voters in Tallahatchie County and was later elected sergeant at arms. By 1871, he was elected sheriff and tax collector. The following year, he became the county superintendent of education, turning it into one of the best school systems in the state of Mississippi for both blacks and whites.

While Ames was governor, he offered the popular Bruce the lieutenant governor seat in 1873, but Bruce declined, eyeing Ames' vacated Senate seat instead. In 1874, Bruce was overwhelmingly elected to fill the full six-year senate term, but Alcorn, who was a rival of Ames, refused to escort him to the podium to be sworn in. New York's Sen. Roscoe Conkling did the honors, and the two men formed a lasting friendship. Through Conklin, Bruce received appointments on the Education and Labor, Manufacturers and Pension committees. Bruce would name his only son after Conklin.
In 1878, Bruce married Josephine Beal, the first black teacher in the Cleveland public-school system and the daughter of a prominent dentist. The two became fixtures on the Washington society scene hosting lavish parties.

Bruce supported the rights of black war veterans, promoting integration and fair treatment for servicemen. In 1878, he tried unsuccessfully to desegregate the Army. He was also one of the few members of Congress to defend the rights of Native Americans from unfair government laws.

On Feb, 14, 1879, Bruce enjoyed another first by becoming the first black to preside over a Senate session.

Bruce's land holdings made him a wealthy man with his worth valued at an unheard-of $150K -- $2.5 million in today's dollars, an astounding amount for anyone, black or white at that time. But his support among black constituents was beginning to collapse. He was a man of means and, as such, was viewed as out of touch with his constituents, who were not as financially well off.

After his Senate career came to an end, Bruce spent much time traveling across the country on speaking engagements and working to enhance and preserve his political legacy. He remained active in Mississippi politics, serving as a presiding officer at the 1880 Republican National Convention. He even received eight votes nominating him for vice president.

Bruce had long enjoyed the friendship of President Ulysses S. Grant and was nominated to President James Garfield's Cabinet. He served as registrar of the treasury, during which time his signature appeared on US currency. He later served in the cabinets of Presidents William McKinley, James Garfield, Chester Arthur and Benjamin Harrison.

Blanche Bruce died on March 1, 1898, at age 57 from a kidney ailment due to complications from diabetes