James Milo Alexander (February 7, 1815May 27, 1871) was an African-American businessperson and politician in Phillips County, Arkansas. Alexander was a successful businessperson and the first African-American

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in Arkansas. Born into slavery in North Carolina, his enslaver taught him how to read and write. After moving to Arkansas, which was then a frontier region, Alexander's master allowed him to establish his own business, a barbershop. Though his business prospered and grew to include the sale of dry goods, he remained in bondage until purchasing his freedom and that of several family members in 1860.

Political Career

After the war, Alexander was active in Republican politics and served in a number of political offices in Helena, Arkansas including as

postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

, school trustee,

grand jury A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a pe ...

member, and as a representative to the

Arkansas House of Representatives The Arkansas State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the ...

, serving in the 11th District, which at that time was composed of Phillips and Monroe Counties. Alexander was an outspoken supporter of Powell Clayton. He voted to elevate Clayton to the Senate. He was also an active member of Prince Hall Freemasonry through the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Arkansas. The first African American masonic lodge in the state was named in his honor.

Family

Five of his seven children attended

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

in Ohio. His fourth child,

John Hanks Alexander John Hanks Alexander (January 6, 1864 – March 26, 1894) was the first African-American officer in the United States armed forces to hold a regular command position and the second African-American graduate of the United States Military Academy ( ...

(18641894) was the first African-American officer in the United States armed forces to hold a regular command position and the second African-American graduate of the United States Military Academy.Ayodale, Braimah
"Alexander, John Hanks (1864-1894)."
BlackPast.org. Another son, Titus Nathanial Alexander, was a political organizer in California in the 1920s who helped convince African-Americans to support the Democratic Party through the National Negro Democratic Congress.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander James Milo 1815 births 1871 deaths People from Helena, Arkansas Barbers Republican Party members of the Arkansas House of Representatives African-American state legislators in Arkansas 19th-century American legislators Businesspeople from Arkansas 19th-century African-American businesspeople Free Negroes African-American politicians during the Reconstruction Era African-American school board members 19th-century American businesspeople

Political Career

Family

See also

References