Alphonso Wilson (1860 December, 4 - 1936) was an African-American

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

in Omaha, Nebraska at the turn of the 20th century. Wilson was born in

Bedford, Missouri Bedford is an unincorporated community in eastern Livingston County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. The community is on Missouri Route J four miles northeast of Avalon Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, E ...

in 1860. In 1880 he moved to Chicago and in 1886 he moved to Omaha. In Omaha he was a partner of the

real estate firm Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...

Wilson & Bryant with James Bryant. In 1890 he was elected the Chairman of the Bureau of Immigration of the Nebraska branch of the National Afro-American League under president

Matthew Ricketts Matthew Oliver Ricketts (April 3, 1858 – January 3, 1917) was an American politician and physician. He was the first African-American member of the Nebraska Legislature, where he served two terms in the Nebraska House of Representatives (th ...

. He also served as treasurer and a founding member of the Omaha Union League club, a

social club A social club may be a group of people or the place where they meet, generally formed around a common interest, occupation, or activity. Examples include: book discussion clubs, chess clubs, anime clubs, country clubs, charity work, criminal ...

and lyceum formed in 1895. In 1890, he was a member of a national building, loan, and protective union organized to assist Omaha blacks to buy or build a home. The local board of the group consisted of president George F. Franklin, vice president William Marshall, Secretary and Treasurer Alfred S. Barnett and Attorney James S. Bryant. The Board of Appraisers was

Millard F. Singleton Millard Filmore Singleton (November 14, 1859 – November 12, 1939) was an African-American political leader and civil servant in Omaha Nebraska. He was an officer in the Omaha Colored Republican Club and the Omaha branch of the National Afro-Ame ...

, Alphonso Wilson, and Harrison Buckner. He was a delegate to the state

republican convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of U.S. presidential nominating convention, presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican N ...

in 1896 and 1901. He and his wife were very musical, and he performed on violin with

Dan Desdunes Daniel F. Desdunes (c. 1870 – April 24, 1929) was a civil rights activist and musician in New Orleans and Omaha, Nebraska. Descended from a family of people of color free before the Civil War, in 1892 he volunteered to board a train car des ...

. Later in his life he worked as a steward for the Metropolitan Club and then the University Club in Omaha. He also was a treasurer and trustee for Excelsior Masonic Lodge. He was married to Kathryn and had two sons, Alphonso and Thomas. Wilson died at age 76 on December 3, 1939. His wife was born in St. Joseph, Missouri on April 1, 1870 and died in Omaha in 1952. She was the founder of the California Beauty School, called the "oldest beauty school west of Chicago".The California Beauty School. Giffard Park History Book, accessed March 9, 2016 at http://www.giffordparkomaha.org/History_California_Beauty_School.html

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Overall, Edwin R. 1860 births 1936 deaths Activists for African-American civil rights Activists from Omaha, Nebraska Nebraska Republicans African-American life in Omaha, Nebraska 20th-century African-American people