James D. Lynch
Encyclopedia
James D. Lynch was the first African-American Secretary of State of Mississippi
, and a minister. Lynch was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother was a slave, and his father was a white merchant and minister. Lynch obtained his early education at an elementary school instructed by Rev. Daniel Payne of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Lynch attended Kimball Union Academy
in New Hampshire
, where he spent two years, and then moved to Indianapolis
where he committed himself to ministry. Of the northern schools prior to 1860, Kimball Union Academy, was one of the few schools in which allowed African Americans students to attend. In Indianapolis, he preached in the town of Galena, Indiana at a small church.
Following the Civil War, Lynch later joined other missionaries in South Carolina. Between 1865 and 1866, Lynch helped to establish churches and schools in South Carolina and Georgia for African American children and adults. In 1868 Lynch then moved to Mississippi as an official of the Methodist Episcopal Church North. Within a year of Lynch’s arrival, the church increased by approximately six thousand African Americans and twenty meeting houses were created. Soon Lynch began to realize that the political rights of the freedmen were just as important as their religious faith. Lynch and others organized the Republican Party in Mississippi, where they later held the first party convention in September 1867 in Jackson. At this time Lynch was elected Vice-President of the organization. He was rewarded this because of his prior services to the party. Lynch then worked to creating a new constitution for Mississippi, where he took a moderate stance. He campaigned to secure voter support for a constitutional convention, in addition to verify the election of Republican delegates. To further stress his position and the importance of black unity, Lynch became involved with the newspaper business, and became a publisher and editor of his publication called Jackson Colored Citizen. In 1869 Lynch was elected Secretary of State, after defeating his convention rival, Dr. Thomas W. Stringer, by a vote of 158 to 36. As a result, in the State of Mississippi, Lynch became the first African American official. While being Secretary of State, Lynch had to pay for some of the expenses out of his own pocket because people previously believed that it did not take much to run an administrative department. In office, Lynch improved the public school system and throughout the state, he greatly acquired support from whites. In 1871 Lynch was re-elected as Secretary of State. In 1872 he served as a delegate to the National Republican Convention. While in his second term, Lynch and his African American supporters, started to become more and more disillusioned with the Reconstruction process, along with the increasing tension amongst the African American and white Republicans. Also in 1872, Lynch was troubled with Bright’s disease of the kidney, accompanied by the recurrence of pneumonia. On December 18, 1872, James D. Lynch died at the age of thirty-four. Lynch received a state funeral, in which the governor of Mississippi, R.C. Powers, was one of the pallbearers. Lynch was buried at an all-white Greenwood Cemetery in Jackson, Mississippi, where several of African Americans followed the procession to the grave. The Republicans still controlled the state legislature, later passed a bill appropriating a thousand dollars for the erection of a monument.
Secretary of State of Mississippi
The Secretary of State of Mississippi is the state secretary of state of the U.S. state of Mississippi.It is a constitutional official originally established under the Article IV, §14 of Mississippi Constitution of 1817, and was reestablished under Article V, §133 of the Mississippi Constitution of...
, and a minister. Lynch was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His mother was a slave, and his father was a white merchant and minister. Lynch obtained his early education at an elementary school instructed by Rev. Daniel Payne of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Lynch attended Kimball Union Academy
Kimball Union Academy
Kimball Union Academy is a private boarding school located in New Hampshire. Founded in 1813, it is the 22nd oldest boarding school in the United States...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, where he spent two years, and then moved to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
where he committed himself to ministry. Of the northern schools prior to 1860, Kimball Union Academy, was one of the few schools in which allowed African Americans students to attend. In Indianapolis, he preached in the town of Galena, Indiana at a small church.
Following the Civil War, Lynch later joined other missionaries in South Carolina. Between 1865 and 1866, Lynch helped to establish churches and schools in South Carolina and Georgia for African American children and adults. In 1868 Lynch then moved to Mississippi as an official of the Methodist Episcopal Church North. Within a year of Lynch’s arrival, the church increased by approximately six thousand African Americans and twenty meeting houses were created. Soon Lynch began to realize that the political rights of the freedmen were just as important as their religious faith. Lynch and others organized the Republican Party in Mississippi, where they later held the first party convention in September 1867 in Jackson. At this time Lynch was elected Vice-President of the organization. He was rewarded this because of his prior services to the party. Lynch then worked to creating a new constitution for Mississippi, where he took a moderate stance. He campaigned to secure voter support for a constitutional convention, in addition to verify the election of Republican delegates. To further stress his position and the importance of black unity, Lynch became involved with the newspaper business, and became a publisher and editor of his publication called Jackson Colored Citizen. In 1869 Lynch was elected Secretary of State, after defeating his convention rival, Dr. Thomas W. Stringer, by a vote of 158 to 36. As a result, in the State of Mississippi, Lynch became the first African American official. While being Secretary of State, Lynch had to pay for some of the expenses out of his own pocket because people previously believed that it did not take much to run an administrative department. In office, Lynch improved the public school system and throughout the state, he greatly acquired support from whites. In 1871 Lynch was re-elected as Secretary of State. In 1872 he served as a delegate to the National Republican Convention. While in his second term, Lynch and his African American supporters, started to become more and more disillusioned with the Reconstruction process, along with the increasing tension amongst the African American and white Republicans. Also in 1872, Lynch was troubled with Bright’s disease of the kidney, accompanied by the recurrence of pneumonia. On December 18, 1872, James D. Lynch died at the age of thirty-four. Lynch received a state funeral, in which the governor of Mississippi, R.C. Powers, was one of the pallbearers. Lynch was buried at an all-white Greenwood Cemetery in Jackson, Mississippi, where several of African Americans followed the procession to the grave. The Republicans still controlled the state legislature, later passed a bill appropriating a thousand dollars for the erection of a monument.