Elijah Cook (born c. 1835) was a community leader, organizer of schools, and legislator from Montgomery, Alabama. A formerly enslaved person, he helped establish Montgomery's first school for African Americans in 1865 after the American Civil War. Chose the site for

Swayne College Swayne College, founded as the Swayne School, was a school for African American students in Montgomery, Alabama. The school operated from 1868 to 1937. Built in 1865 and dedicated in 1869, it was named for General Wager Swayne who led the Union Ar ...

in 1868. He also helped bring Lincoln Normal School, predecessor of Alabama State University, to Montgomery from Marion, Alabama. The

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

has a photograph of his home, business, Cook, and his wife from a book published by Chicago publisher Hertel, Jenkins & Co. Cook was born in Wetumpka. He served in Alabama's General Assembly representing

Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Mon ...

in 1875.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook, Elijah 1830s births Members of the Alabama House of Representatives Date of death missing American former slaves People from Montgomery County, Alabama 19th-century American slaves People enslaved in Alabama