John Mercer Langston is elected township clerk in Brownhelm, Ohio, becoming one of the first Black Americans elected to public office.
At a Glance
- Date
- 10 September 1855
- Location
- Brownhelm, Ohio
- Key people
- John Mercer Langston
- Category
- Politics & Government
- Source
- Local election records (1855) · U.S. House History, Art & Archives
What It Meant Then
His election came years before emancipation or Black male suffrage.
What It Means Now
Langston later served in Congress and founded Howard's law school.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “John Mercer Langston Is Elected to Office.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/john-mercer-langston-is-elected-to-office/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). John Mercer Langston Is Elected to Office. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/john-mercer-langston-is-elected-to-office/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “John Mercer Langston Is Elected to Office.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/john-mercer-langston-is-elected-to-office/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.