Robert Lee Brokenburr (November 16, 1886 – March 24, 1974) was an attorney, civil rights leader, and state legislator in Indiana. After several election campaigns, Brokenburr ran as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

for an Indiana Senate seat in 1940 and became the first African-American elected to the body where he served for 20 years. Prior to running for office, Brokenburr worked as counsel and general manager for the

Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company The Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company (Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Co., The Walker Company) was a cosmetics manufacturer incorporated in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1910 by Madam C. J. Walker. It was best known for its African-American ...

while carrying on his own practice litigating civil rights cases.

Early life and education

Robert Lee Brokenburr was born on November 16, 1886 in

Phoebus, Virginia Phoebus (known as Chesapeake City from 1871-1899) is a formerly incorporated town located in Elizabeth City County on the Virginia Peninsula in eastern Virginia. Upon incorporation in 1900, it was named in honor of local businessman Harrison Phoebu ...

. His father, Benjamin Brokenburr, was emancipated from slavery as a child.https://indianahistory.org/wp-content/uploads/robert-lee-brokenburr-papers-and-photographs.pdf He graduated from

Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missionary Association afte ...

in 1906, and received a law degree from

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commissi ...

in 1909. He was admitted to the Indiana State Bar in 1910.

Career

Law career

In 1910, Brokenburr moved to Indianapolis where he shared an office with Freeman B. Ransom. While in practice, he won several early civil rights victories. In ''Galliard v. Grant'', he challenged an Indianapolis ordinance which divided the city into zones segregated by race. The ordinance was declared unconstitutional by the Circuit Court of Marion County in 1926. In ''Baily vs. Washington Theatre Company'', he represented a woman who was refused service at a theater based on her race. Although the court initially ruled against Ms. Baily, the decision was overturned on appeal. Brokenburr also served as deputy prosecuting attorney for Marion County from 1919 to 1931. He retired from practice in 1971.

The Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company

In addition to his private practice, he helped Madame C.J. Walker form the Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company, writing the articles of incorporation and serving as general manager and counsel for the company. The company, which sold cosmetic and haircare products for black women, went on to be one of the most successful African-American owned businesses in the United States.

NAACP presidency

Brokenburr became president of the Indianapolis chapter of the

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...

in 1914.

Political career

Brokenburr unsuccessfully ran for office in the Indiana House of Representatives three times between 1912 and 1934. In 1940, he ran as a Republican candidate for the

Indiana Senate The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms ...

and became the first African-American elected to the Indiana State Senate. He served four additional terms in 1944, 1952, 1956, and 1960. As state senator, he wrote the act establishing the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. In 1955, President

Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

appointed Brokenburr as an alternate delegate to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

Personal life

Brokenburr married Alice Glover, who also attended Hampton Normal, in 1911 in Indianapolis. They had two children, Nerissa Brokenburr Stickney and Alice Brokenburr Ray; both daughters were pianists trained at

Oberlin Conservatory of Music The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a private music conservatory in Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. It was founded in 1865 and is the second oldest conservatory and oldest continually operating conservatory in the United States. It is one of ...

. After Alice died in 1945, Brokenburr married his second wife, Nettie. who died in 1969.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brokenburr, Robert Republican Party Indiana state senators 1886 births 1974 deaths 20th-century African-American politicians 20th-century American politicians African-American men in politics African-American state legislators in Indiana 20th-century American lawyers African-American lawyers Indiana lawyers People from Elizabeth City County, Virginia Hampton University alumni Howard University School of Law alumni NAACP activists African-American activists American civil rights lawyers Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery