Harrison H. Truhart. (b. about 1840 Virginia - 1912) was a blacksmith and state legislator in Mississippi serving as a representative from 1872 to 1875.[1][2] In 1872 he was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives to represent Holmes County, Mississippi along with Perry Howard and F. Stewart.[3] In 1874, again with Perry Howard and Tenant Weatherly replacing Stewart, he represented Holmes County in the House.[4]

1874 official photograph

He was a Republican.[5] He was one of the signatories of an 1872 petition to the U.S. congress calling for support for the Sumner amendment (Charles Sumner's proposed legislation that eventually became the 1875 Civil Rights Act)[6] to end exclusion of African Americans from many enterprises.[7]

He was brought to Mississippi in 1848 as a slave and had no formal education but learnt on own efforts.[8] In 1869 he was appointed by General Ames to be Alderman of one of his towns wards.[8]

In 1875 he was appointed as one of the trustees of Alcorn University.[9]

In 1906 he gave a presentation called "Blacksmithing and How to Make it Pay" at the Mississippi Negro Business League in Jackson, Mississippi June 14, 1906.[10]

He lived in Lexington, Mississippi with his wife Louisa and their children from 1870 until at least 1910,[1] but likely until his death in 1912.[11]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Harrison H. Truhart – Against All Odds".
  2. ^ "Harrison H. Truhart (Holmes County) · Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi · Mississippi State University Libraries". msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  3. ^ "1872 House of Representatives". The Clarion-Ledger. 11 January 1872. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2021.  
  4. ^ Representatives, Mississippi Legislature House of (October 20, 1874). "Journal" – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Elections, United States Congress Senate Committee on Privileges and (October 20, 1877). "Mississippi: Testimony as to Denial of Elective Franchise in Mississippi at the Elections of 1875 and 1876: Taken Under the Resolution of the Senate of December 5, 1876". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "U.S. Senate: Landmark Legislation: Civil Rights Act of 1875". www.senate.gov.
  7. ^ Senate, United States Congress (October 20, 1872). "Miscellaneous Documents: 30th Congress, 1st Session - 48th Congress, 2d Session and Special Session" – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b "New National Era, - Against All Odds". March 27, 1873. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Clarion-Ledger – Against All Odds". March 4, 1875. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Mississippi Negro Business League 1906, Jackson, Mississippi". Jackson Daily News. 26 May 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  11. ^ "1912, Lexington, MS". The Lexington Advertiser. 2 August 1912. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2021.