Oscar Stanton De Priest
Oscar Stanton De Priest was an American Republican politician and civil rights advocate. He served as a U.S. Representative from the state of Illinois. During his three terms, he was the only African American serving in Congress.
Oscar Stanton De Priest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Martin B. Madden |
| Succeeded by | Arthur W. Mitchell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 9, 1871 Florence, Alabama |
| Died | May 12, 1951 (aged 80) Chicago, Illinois |
| Resting place | Graceland Cemetery, Uptown, Chicago |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Jessie De Priest |
| Children | Laurence W. De Priest Oscar Stanton De Priest, Jr. |
De Priest proposed a law barring discrimination in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was program of the New Deal to employ people across the country in building infrastructure. His proposal was made a law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In 1929, De Priest made national news. First Lady Lou Hoover invited his wife, Jessie, to a traditional tea for congressional wives at the White House.[1][2] In reaction several newspapers published a racist poem called Niggers in the White House. The poem was first published when Booker T. Washington dined with President Theodore Roosevelt.
References
- Day, Davis S. (Winter 1980). "Herbert Hoover and Racial Politics: The De Priest Incident". Journal of Negro History. Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc. 65 (1): 6–17. doi:10.2307/3031544. JSTOR 3031544. S2CID 149611666.
- "'A Tempest In a Teapot'". The White House Historical Association. Retrieved 30 September 2016.