Cleveland Moland Colbert (October 6, 1906–January 23, 1962) was an

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

20th-century community organizer, political candidate, and author. Colbert served as the president of the Afro American National Economical Society (AANES) in the 1940s. In 1942, Colbert was elected as the second African American to serve in

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Assembly is controlled by the Republican ...

; he was declared the election winner and it later was overturned by a recount, the seat was given to Philip Markey.

Biography

Colbert was born on October 6, 1906, in Old Spring Hill,

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

, to parents Minnie Cook and George Moland Colbert. He and his family lived at 813 West Galena Street in Milwaukee's Bronzeville neighborhood. He had worked in many roles including as a musician, an upholsterer, a crane operator, and an aviator. For a few months the 1930s Colbert served against his will as an aviator in the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

, where he was supposed to be in contract for commercial flying. In 1940, after he had returned to the United States, Colbert was the president of the Afro American National Economical Society (AANES). The AANES supported the African American community through encouraging industrial businesses, as well as serving the civic, charitable, and social welfare needs. Colbert was active in local politics, he won the election primaries against three competitors. In October 1942, Colbert was initially certified as the election winner of the 5th district seat in

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, before the results were overturned. After a recount, Phillip Markey was declared the winner, winning only by a few votes (as little as 10 votes); and Colbert was given $200 USD for his expenses during the period of recount. Colbert was a Republican. Lucian H. Palmer was the first African American to serve as a member of the Wisconsin state legislature; and Colbert would have been the second, if the election recount had not unseated him. LeRoy Simmons subsequently became the second African American to serve in the Wisconsin House of Representatives. He authored the book, ''The Afro-Americans’ Problems and Solution'' (1951; Dell and Dell Publishers). The book can be found in the Special Collections Department at the

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a Public university, public Urban university, urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropo ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colbert, Cleveland 1906 births 1962 deaths People from Marengo County, Alabama 20th-century African-American politicians 20th-century American politicians Activists from Milwaukee Politicians from Milwaukee Activists for African-American civil rights

Biography

See also

References