Samuel A. McElwee
Encyclopedia
Samuel McElwee was born a slave in 1857 in Madison County, Tennessee. His parents were Robert and Georgianna McElwee. He was a lawyer and the most influential Republic party leader in Haywood County, Tennessee during Reconstruction. He served in Tennessee General Assembly from 1883 to 1888. He was the first African American to serve three terms in legislature and also the first one to be nominated as the Speaker of the House.
After emancipation, his family moved to a farm in Haywood County, Tennessee in 1866. He attended Freedmen’s Bureau Schools where he was taught by his former slave master’s children. Therefore, he moved quickly through school. In 1875, he attended Oberlin College
in Ohio for a year. Then he returned to south and taught at a school for three years. He studied Latin, German, and mathematics with a Vanderbilt student whose recommendation got him a Peabody Scholarship to Fisk University
. In 1878, he enrolled at the Fisk University and graduated in 1883. While still a student at the University, he got elected to the General Assembly from Haywood County. He opened up a grocery store in Haywood County and started reading law
on his own. While serving in legislature he attended Nashville
’s Central Tennessee College’s Law School and obtained a law degree in 1886.
During his second term, he was nominated by a former U.S. Senator Roderick R. Butler
to be the speaker of the House of Representatives in 1885, and received 32 of the 93 votes. He was the head of the Tennessee Republican Convention and was a delegate to the national convention in Chicago in 1884. He was the first African American to be elected three times for a legislative term in Tennessee. He had spoken at the Tuskegee Institute as a commencement speaker in 1887. During the same year, in his third term he proposed a bill that would ensure fairer jury selection. The bill was tabled by a vote of 41-36.
He served during an era when Jim Crowism was in effect. In 1888, he campaigned for a fourth term, but was not elected. This was due to voting fraud and intimidation
. McElwee and his family left the Haywood County because of violence against African Americans. He had established a newspaper and a law firm in Nashville, but then he and his family, again moved to Chicago in July 1901. He also started a law practice there and spent the rest of his life there. He died in Chicago on October 21, 1914.
After emancipation, his family moved to a farm in Haywood County, Tennessee in 1866. He attended Freedmen’s Bureau Schools where he was taught by his former slave master’s children. Therefore, he moved quickly through school. In 1875, he attended Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in Ohio for a year. Then he returned to south and taught at a school for three years. He studied Latin, German, and mathematics with a Vanderbilt student whose recommendation got him a Peabody Scholarship to Fisk University
Fisk University
Fisk University is an historically black university founded in 1866 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. The world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers started as a group of students who performed to earn enough money to save the school at a critical time of financial shortages. They toured to raise funds to...
. In 1878, he enrolled at the Fisk University and graduated in 1883. While still a student at the University, he got elected to the General Assembly from Haywood County. He opened up a grocery store in Haywood County and started reading law
Reading law
Reading law is the method by which persons in common law countries, particularly the United States, entered the legal profession before the advent of law schools. This usage specifically refers to a means of entering the profession . A small number of U.S...
on his own. While serving in legislature he attended Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
’s Central Tennessee College’s Law School and obtained a law degree in 1886.
During his second term, he was nominated by a former U.S. Senator Roderick R. Butler
Roderick R. Butler
Roderick Randum Butler was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for the 1st congressional district of Tennessee.-Biography:...
to be the speaker of the House of Representatives in 1885, and received 32 of the 93 votes. He was the head of the Tennessee Republican Convention and was a delegate to the national convention in Chicago in 1884. He was the first African American to be elected three times for a legislative term in Tennessee. He had spoken at the Tuskegee Institute as a commencement speaker in 1887. During the same year, in his third term he proposed a bill that would ensure fairer jury selection. The bill was tabled by a vote of 41-36.
He served during an era when Jim Crowism was in effect. In 1888, he campaigned for a fourth term, but was not elected. This was due to voting fraud and intimidation
Intimidation
Intimidation is intentional behavior "which would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities" fear of injury or harm. It's not necessary to prove that the behavior was so violent as to cause terror or that the victim was actually frightened.Criminal threatening is the crime of intentionally or...
. McElwee and his family left the Haywood County because of violence against African Americans. He had established a newspaper and a law firm in Nashville, but then he and his family, again moved to Chicago in July 1901. He also started a law practice there and spent the rest of his life there. He died in Chicago on October 21, 1914.