Nathan K. McGill
Encyclopedia
Nathan K. McGill was the first African American to serve as assistant attorney general for the State of Illinois. He was also the first African American appointed to the Chicago Library Board.
on November 29, 1888 (some sources indicate November 29, 1880), the son of Nathan and Agnes (Zeigler) McGill.
After graduating from Cookman Institute, McGill studied at Boston University School of Law
. In 1912, he began his career as a lawyer, first in Jacksonville, Florida
, then to Chicago, where he spent most of his adult life.
From 1925 to 1934, McGill served as secretary and general counsel for Robert S. Abbott Publishing Company
, publishers of the Chicago Defender
. At the Defender he was nicknamed ""Little Napoleon"" because he managed the newspaper with authority.
He was also an assistant state's attorney for Cook County, Illinois
from 1925 to 1926.
In 1929, he became the first African American to serve as assistant attorney general for the State of Illinois. He served in that capacity until 1933.
He died at his home in Chicago on May 7, 1946. McGill was buried in Jacksonville, Florida.
Biography
Nathan Kellogg McGill was born in Quincy, FloridaQuincy, Florida
Quincy is a city in Gadsden County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,982 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,975...
on November 29, 1888 (some sources indicate November 29, 1880), the son of Nathan and Agnes (Zeigler) McGill.
After graduating from Cookman Institute, McGill studied at Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law is the law school affiliated with Boston University, and is ranked #22 among American law schools by US News and World Report magazine. It is the second-oldest law school in Massachusetts and one of the first law schools in the country to admit students regardless...
. In 1912, he began his career as a lawyer, first in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, then to Chicago, where he spent most of his adult life.
From 1925 to 1934, McGill served as secretary and general counsel for Robert S. Abbott Publishing Company
Robert Sengstacke Abbott
Robert Sengstacke Abbott was an African American lawyer and newspaper publisher.-Biography:Born on November 24, 1870 in St. Island, Georgia to former slave parents. Abbott was still a baby when his father, Thomas Abbott, died...
, publishers of the Chicago Defender
Chicago Defender
The Chicago Defender is a Chicago based newspaper founded in 1905 by an African American for primarily African American readers.In just three years from 1919–1922 the Defender also attracted the writing talents of Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks....
. At the Defender he was nicknamed ""Little Napoleon"" because he managed the newspaper with authority.
He was also an assistant state's attorney for Cook County, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
from 1925 to 1926.
In 1929, he became the first African American to serve as assistant attorney general for the State of Illinois. He served in that capacity until 1933.
He died at his home in Chicago on May 7, 1946. McGill was buried in Jacksonville, Florida.