John Mercer Langston

Congressman John Langston was the first Black American to represent Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served part of one term (1890-1891) after successfully contesting the election of another candidate to the 51st Congress. As a member of the House Education Committee, Langston tried to establish a national industrial university for African Americans and attempted to appoint Black applicants to United States Naval Academy. Langston received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oberlin College and studied law in Ohio. He was inspector general of the Freedmen’s Bureau, held political posts in Haiti and Santo Domingo, and served as Howard University’s vice president and acting president. Langston founded Howard’s School of Law and served as its dean from 1868 to 1875. He published his autobiography, From the Virginia Plantation to the National Capitol, in 1894.