W. H. Rogers was an American politician. He was a state legislator in Georgia and was the only African-American to serve in the
99th Georgia State Assembly. He represented
McIntosh County, Georgia from 1902 until 1907.
Political career
Rogers was elected to represent
McIntosh County, Georgia in the
99th Georgia State Assembly and took office in 1902.
He was the only African American serving in the 99th Assembly. His racist opponents launched a campaign against him using the slogan "Redeem McIntish County." He ran for re-election in 1904 and 1906, winning both elections.
He resigned in 1907 when a bill to disenfranchise African Americans passed in Georgia’s legislature.
It was signed in 1907 by Georgia governor
Hoke Smith
Michael Hoke Smith (September 2, 1855November 27, 1931) was an American attorney, politician, and newspaper owner who served as United States secretary of the interior (1893–1896), 58th governor of Georgia (1907–1909, 1911), and a United S ...
.
Rogers sent his resignation letter directly to Smith.
In 1908, the ''
Macon Telegraph'' stated that Rogers would be "perhaps the last
egrothat will have had a seat in the General Assembly of Georgia."
Rogers was the last African American to serve in Georgia’s legislature until 1963 when
Leroy Johnson was elected to the
Georgia Senate.
See also
*
List of African-American officeholders (1900–1959)
The following is a list of African-American holders of public office from 1900 to 1959. This period saw setbacks for African Americans following the Reconstruction era after "Redeemer" Democrats retook control of the South and restored white supre ...
*
128th Georgia General Assembly
The 128th Georgia General Assembly convened its first session on January 13, 1965, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. The 128th Georgia General Assembly succeeded the 127th and served as the precedent for the 129th in 1967.
Governor Carl ...
*
Tunis Campbell
Rev. Tunis Gulic Campbell Sr. (April 1, 1812 – December 4, 1891), called "the oldest and best known clergyman in the African Methodist Church", served as a voter registration organizer, Justice of the Peace, a delegate to the Georgia Constitut ...
*
Lectured Crawford
Lectured Crawford (1842December 1901) was a teacher, A.M.E. Church minister, and state legislator in Georgia. He was one of the last African American legislators in Georgia prior to the prohibition on Black people holding office in the state.
C ...
*
H. A. McKay
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, W. H.
African-American state legislators in Georgia (U.S. state)
People from McIntosh County, Georgia
Members of the Georgia House of Representatives
20th-century African-American politicians
20th-century American politicians
African-American men in politics