John Thomas Shuften (c. 1840–?), commonly known as J. T. Shuften, was an American newspaper editor, journalist, and lawyer. He founded the Colored American newspaper in Macon, Georgia, active from 1865 to 1866.[1] Shuften was an African American who wrote an exposé about the Reconstruction era in the American South, and what he termed as "the great betrayal of the Republican party".[2] He practiced law in Orlando, Florida.[3]
John Thomas Shuften | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | c. 1840 Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | unknown |
| Other names | John Thomas Shuften Sr., John T. Shuften, J. T. Shuften, J.T. Shuften |
| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Occupation(s) | Newspaper editor, journalist, lawyer |
| Notable work | "A Colored Man's Exposition of the Acts and Doings of the Radical Party South from 1865 to 1876" (1877) |
Biography edit
John Thomas Shuften was born in about 1840 in Augusta, Georgia.[4][3]
With help from James D. Lynch, he edited the newspaper Colored American in Augusta, Georgia, in October 1865, the first newspaper in the American South published by an African American. About a year later it was acquired by the Georgia Equal Rights Association and became the Loyal Georgian. John Emory Bryant became editor.[5][6]
In 1876, Shuften received a law degree from Howard University.[4]
In 1877, Shuften wrote an exposé on the political changes after emancipation in the American South, and "the great betrayal of the Republican party"; the article was titled, "A Colored Man's Exposition of the Acts and Doings of the Radical Party South from 1865 to 1876".[7] In 1892 the New York Times touted his switch to the Democratic Party as a result of "Republican trickery" and ran his statement explaining his switch.[8]
References edit
- ^ "African-American Resources". American Antiquarian Society. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "A colored man's exposition of the acts and doings of the Radical party south". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
- ^ a b Penn, Irvine Garland (1891). "The Colored American". The Afro-American Press and Its Editors. Willey & Company. pp. 100–104. ISBN 978-0-598-58268-3.
- ^ a b "The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida on January 26, 1992 · Page 61". Newspapers.com.
- ^ "The Daily loyal Georgian. (Augusta, Ga.) 1867-186? « Georgia Historic Newspapers".
- ^ "Afro-American Encyclopaedia". unc.edu.
- ^ "A Colored Man's Exposition of the Acts and Doings of the Radical Party South". Library of Congress.
- ^ "Tired of Republican Trickery.; Why a Colored Florida Leader Leaves That Party". The New York Times. 1892-08-22. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
Further reading edit
- Penn, Irvine Garland (1891). "The Colored American". The Afro-American Press and Its Editors. Willey & Company. pp. 100–104. ISBN 978-0-598-58268-3.
External links edit
