Peter Lester (–), was an American-born 19th-century businessman and abolitionist. He was an early Black settler in San Francisco. In February 1860, he was the first Black person to sit as a juror in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Early life

Peter Lester was born in South Carolina, U.S. Although some sources state he was born in Virginia, U.S.. His childhood was spent in Philadelphia. He had been a leader in the abolitionist movement in Philadelphia.

San Francisco, California

In 1850, he moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco, to work as a

shoeshiner Shoeshiner or boot polisher is an occupation in which a person cleans and buffs shoes and then applies a waxy paste to give a shiny appearance and a protective coating. They are often known as shoeshine boys because the job was traditionally d ...

and

bootmaker Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, or cobblers (also known as ''cordwainers''). In the 18th century, dozens or even hundreds of masters, journeymen an ...

during the

Gold Rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New Z ...

-era. The following year in 1851, Lester, in partnership with

Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Mifflin Wistar Gibbs (April 17, 1823 – July 11, 1915) was an American-Canadian politician, businessman, and advocate for Black rights. He became the first Black person elected to public office in British Columbia on November 16, 1866, upon win ...

, opened the ''Emporium for Boot and Shoes'' store at 638 Clay Street in San Francisco, selling imported shoes and boots. In Gibbs's autobiography, "Shadow and Light" (1902), he mentions that, while living in San Francisco, he and Lester were successful in business but dealt with community ostracization and physical assaults. Two white men assaulted him in his store and stole a pair of shoes, Lester was not able to press charges. As African Americans in California during this time, they were disenfranchised and thus unable to sit on a jury, unable to testify in court, and denied the right to vote. In the late 1850s, Lester, along with his partner Gibbs and George W. Dennis, worked to secure the services of a White legal team to fight for the freedom of

Archy Lee Archy Lee was an African-American born into slavery in Mississippi in 1840. Lee's slave-owner, Charles Stovall, brought Lee with him to Sacramento, California on October 2, 1857. While in California, Stovall rented out Lee for his wages. In Januar ...

in a widely publicized fugitive slave case in California. In 1858, Lester's teenaged daughter Sarah was attending an otherwise all-white school; a local newspaper, the

San Francisco Herald The ''San Francisco Herald'', or ''San Francisco Daily Herald'', was a newspaper that was published from 1850 to 1862 in San Francisco, California. The paper stood out aggressively against crime and corruption associated with the California Gold R ...

printed an anonymous letter demanding her removal. She was removed for the school by her father after a few weeks of debate.

Canada and late life

The Lesters participated in the 1858 mass exodus of African Americans to the city of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

in British Columbia, Canada during the

Fraser River Gold Rush The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, (also Fraser Gold Rush and Fraser River Gold Rush) began in 1858 after gold was discovered on the Thompson River in British Columbia at its confluence with the Nicoamen River a few miles upstream from the Thompson's c ...

. In February 1860, he was the first Black person to sit as a juror in

. After the death of his wife in 1892, Lester sold his Victoria properties and returned to the United States. During his return, he was in his 80s and confined to a wheelchair. He died sometime around in San Francisco. The

Ross Bay Cemetery Ross Bay Cemetery is located at 1516 Fairfield Road in Victoria, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, Canada. Many historical figures from the early days of the province and colony of British Columbia are buried at Ross Bay. History The ceme ...

in Victoria erected an honorary gravestone for Lester in 2002.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lester, Peter 1810s births 1890s deaths 19th-century American businesspeople African-American abolitionists American abolitionists African-American businesspeople African Americans in California American businesspeople African-American history in Philadelphia African-American history in San Francisco Colored Conventions people History of Black people in British Columbia People of the California Gold Rush

Early life

San Francisco, California

Canada and late life

See also

References