George Henry White

Born: December 18, 1852 in Bladen County, North Carolina

Died: December 28, 1918 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

United States Representative, 1897–1901

Republican from North Carolina

• White was the last African American congressman of the 19th Century. It took 28 years before another Black politician, Oscar De Priest of Chicago, was elected to Congress; De Priest was the first Black member from the North. 
• White was born a slave in Rosindale, North Carolina. His father, Wiley F. White, was a free, working class farmer. His mother, Mary, was a slave. 
• White attended public schools and graduated from Howard University, in Washington, D.C., in 1877. 
• White was admitted to the bar in 1879 and opened a law office in New Bern, N.C.. He also served as the principal at several Black public schools.
• White was elected to the House of Representatives for two terms, 55th (1897–1899) and 56th (1899–1901).
• Notably, on January 20, 1900, White was the first member of Congress to introduce legislation making lynching a federal crime. Despite White's passionate plea, the bill was defeated. 122 years later, on March 29, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the historic Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law, finally making lynching a federal hate crime.
• In his farewell speech on the eve of his departure from Congress, White said, "This, Mr. Chairman, is perhaps the Negroes' temporary farewell to the American Congress; but let me say, Phoenix-like he will rise up some day and come again. These parting words are in behalf of an outraged, heart-broken, bruised, and bleeding, but God-fearing people, faithful, industrious, loyal people--rising people, full of potential force. Mr. Chairman, in the trial of Lord Bacon, when the court disturbed the counsel for the defendant, Sir Walter Raleigh raised himself up to his full height and, addressing the court, said: Sir, I am pleading for the life of a human being. The only apology that I have to make for the earnestness with which I have spoken is that I am pleading for the life, the liberty, the future happiness, and manhood suffrage for one-eighth of the entire population of the United States."
• White practiced law, first in the District of Columbia, then in Philadelphia. He died in Philadelphia on December 28, 1918 at the age of 66.

George Henry White

1899

The Colored American Republican TextBook Collection

Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division

NYPL Digital Collections: Hon. George H. White, Member of Congress.