Henry Demas (April 16, 1848 – April 19, 1900) was an enslaved African American who became a constable, state legislator, civil rights activist, and organizer of

Southern University Southern University and A&M College (Southern University, Southern, SUBR or SU) is a Public university, public historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It i ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

during the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...

Early life

Demas was born into slavery on April 16, 1848 in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. Both of his parents were enslaved. His slaveowner was wealthy owner of a plantation and a physician. Demas served in the Union Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, serving in the Company H of the 80th Regiment from August 1864 to March 1867, during which he attained the rank of

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...

. The 80th Colored Infantry regiment, was attached to the Port Hudson garrison in Louisiana was organized from the 8th Corps d'Afrique Infantry. The regiment operated throughout Louisiana until 1866, when the troops scouted in Texas until the men mustered out in March 1867. Education was offered to the black regimental troops, which Demas availed himself. He was freed after the end of the war.

Reconstruction era

Following his emancipation, Demas was able to attain further education. In 1868, the year after he mustered out of military service, he was elected constable. In 1870, he became an elected politician. He served the House for two terms and then became a senator until 1892. He was among the longest serving African American politicians, serving about two decades as a legislator. His areas of interest included suppression of slavery in Cuba, protection of wildlife, incorporation of a benevolent association, providing police juries the ability to issue bonds, reduction of printing costs, and restriction of monopolies. He was a delegate to national conventions five times. In 1874, he was a captain in the state militia and made aide-de-camp by Governor

William Pitt Kellogg William Pitt Kellogg (December 8, 1830 – August 10, 1918) was an American lawyer and Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician who served as the governor of Louisiana from 1873 to 1877 and twice served as a United States Sen ...

. Demas served as parish treasurer and on the parish school board. He had a sugarcane farm in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. In 1897, Demas was appointed New Orleans Naval Office by Senator Mark Hanna (Ohio) and President

William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until Assassination of William McKinley, his assassination in 1901. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Repub ...

. The appointment caused a backlash with Democratic newspapers claiming that Demas was one of "Negro politicians who... have enacted the role of masters of the white people" and questioned his character, motives, and honesty.

Personal life

In October 1871, Demas married and the couple had four children. He was living in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

when he died of

Bright's disease Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that are described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. It was characterized by swelling and the presence of albumin in the urine. It was frequently accompanied ...

on April 19, 1900. He was buried at the St John the Baptist Church in

Edgard, Louisiana Edgard is a census-designated place (CDP) in, and the county seat, parish seat of, St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,637 at the 2000 United States Census, 2000 cens ...

. He was described in an article in the Alexandria ''Weekly Town Talk'' newspaper as a "preeminent figure here throughout reconstruction times… and the best known negro politician in Louisiana". He was also described as "the leader of the unscrupulous Republican party during the days of the reconstruction", with a national reputation.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demas, Henry 1848 births 1900 deaths African-American politicians during the Reconstruction Era Activists for African-American civil rights 19th-century American slaves American freedmen African Americans in the American Civil War Louisiana Republicans 19th-century members of the Louisiana State Legislature