first African-American on the South Carolina Supreme Court

On this day in 1870, Republican attorney Jonathan Wright became the first African-American on the South Carolina Supreme Court.  Born in Pennsylvania to escaped slaves, Wright was permitted to take the bar exam there as a result of of the Republican Party's 1866 Civil Right Act.  He then became the first African-American licensed to practice law in the Keystone State.

Wright joined the American Missionary Association and moved to South Carolina, where he served as legal advisor to General Oliver Howard, head of the Freedman's Bureau, a federal agency for assisting the emancipated slaves.  He was elected to the central committee of South Carolina Republican Party and and, as a delegate to the state convention, helped draft the 1867 state convention.  In 1868, Wright won a seat in the state Senate and remained active in the Republican Party for the rest of his life.

Michael Zak is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the country, showing office-holders, candidates and activists how they would benefit tremendously from appreciating our Party's heritage of civil rights achievement.  Back to Basics for the Republican Party is his acclaimed history of the GOP from the Republican point of view.  See www.republicanbasics.com for more information.