"Oscar James Dunn"(1825-November 1871)

Was one of three African Americans who served as a Republican lieutenant governor of Louisiana during the era of Reconstruction.In 1968,Oscar became the first elected black lieutenant governor of a U.S. state.He ran on the ticket headed by carpetbagger Henry Clay Warmoth,formerly of Illinois.After Oscar died in office,then-state Senator P.B.S.Pinchback (also a black Republican) became lieutenant governor and there after governor for a 34 day interim period.On December 22,1866,Oscar James Dunn testified before the Select Committee on the New Orleans Riots of July 30,1866 that "he born in New Orleans in 1826 and was about 41 years old." His parents were James and Maria Dunn.His father,James Dunn of Petersburg,Virginia had been emancipated by James H. Caldwell in New Orleans in 1819.James Dunn became  a f.m.c. (free man of color) and later emancipated his wife,Maria and their two children Oscar and Jane in 1832.James Dunn worked as a carpenter for James H. Caldwell (founder of the St. Charles Theatre and New Orleans Gas Light Company); Maria Dunn ran a boarding house for actors and actresses that came to perform at the Caldwell theatres.Oscar was was neither a Creole of Color (gen De couleur),nor of fair complexion.He is described in an article in the New York Times on June 25, 1893 as "Jamaican,well educated,and pure African;'by September 16, 1894 the same newspaper describes him as being "of pure negro blood." Other articles have describe as a "griffe"(32 parts white/parts non-white ;the child of a mulatto and pure Black). A recently published photo from the National Archive of the Matthew Brady Collection,removes all misconceptions and attempts to illustrate James as anything other than what he was.Oscar was apprenticed as a young man to the plastering and painting contractor,A.G. Wilson,who had earlier verified James free status in the Mayor's Register of Free People of Color 1840-1864.On November 23, 1841 he was  reported as a RUNAWAY  by the subscribers,[A.G.] Wilson & Patterson in a newspaper ad which ran in the Picayune.Oscar later studied music, and became both an accomplished musician,and an instructor of the violin.Social,political,and racial conditions in the City of New Orleans were a catalyst for James focus on equality for all, especially those blacks who had been freed after the civil war.He was an English speaking black in a city where a self-imposed caste system was the underpinning of all aspects of daily life.A city where French culture was promoted as being more refined than culture established by the English speaking residents who came to the city in the early-to mid-19th century.He was a member of Richmond  Lodge No.4 Prince Hall Masons which had been chartered by the Ohio Grand Lodge in 1850.He served all its offices except Tyler;becoming a Past Master in the late 1850s.He served as Grand Master of Eureka Grand Lodge of Louisiana the forerunner of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana with authority to confer the first three degrees in Masonry;and he established that the Prince Hall Mason Lodges and Grand Lodge of Louisiana were followers of Ancient York Masonry.As a Freemason,he set- up a political  power base that would be the foundation for his political career.He gave up his office as Grand Master on January 9. 1868 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana and returned to his position as Grand Master of the Eureka Grand Lodge of Louisiana in 1870 and remained in that position until his death.During reconstruction Era James became a business man who,among other professions,opened and "intelligence office"(employment office) that assisted in finding jobs for freedmen.He actively promoted and supported the Universal Suffrage Movement;advocated land ownership for all blacks;free public education of all black children; and equal protection under the law.He was Secretary of the Advisory Committee of the Freedmen's Savings & Trust Company of New Orleans where he worked to insure that recently freed slaves were treated fairly by former planters to who they were now contracted to perform the same duties they had once performed as slaves.In 1866 he organized the People's Bakerly,and enterprise owned operated by the Louisiana Association of Workingmen.In 1867,while a city Alderman,he was named Chairman of a committee to consider alterations to Article 5 of the City Charter;James moved that "all children between the ages of 6-18  be eligible to attend public schools and that the Board of Aldermen shall provide for the education of all children...without distinction to color." In the Constitution Convention of 1867-68 the entire resolution was enacted into Louisiana law.This laid the foundation for the public education system still in existence today,with some modifications.He was very active in local,and state and federal politics;with connections in the north to presidential candidate Ulysses S. Grant,and Senator Charles Sumer.At a hotly contested nominating convention held in New Orleans,immediately following the adoption of the constitution of 1867-1868,Francis E. Dumas refused the nomination of Lieutenant Governor.Oscar was consulted and agreed to the nomination.He defeated the white W.J. Blackburn by a vote of 54/27.The Warmoth&Dunn Republican Conversation Ticket was elected by a vote 64,941 to 38,46,beginning the regin of the Radical Republican Party in Louisiana politics.He was inaugurated on June 13,1868.He was president, pro tempore of the State Senate;and a member of the Printing Committee of the Louisiana State Legislature,with access to a million dollar budget.He also served as President of the Metropolitan Police with an annual budget of nearly one million dollars and responsibility for maintaining some sense of stability in a political atmosphere that was toxic.In 1870,Oscar served on the Board of Trustees and Examining Committee for Straight University.In December 1866 he married the widow Ellen Boyd Marchand,daughter of Mr.& Mrs Henry Boyd of Ohio.James adopted Her three children Fannie (9),Charles (7) and Emma (5).They had no children of their own.In 1870 the Dunn family residence was on Canal Street,one block west of South Claiborne Avenue and within walking distance of Straight University and the St.James A.M.E. church complex.As a radical Republican and a member of the customhouse faction,which had differences with the Warmoth-Pinchback faction of the party, Oscar made political enemies and had questionable allies.According to the New York Times,Oscar "had difficulties with Harry Lott,"a rapides Parish member of the House of Representative (1868-1870, 1870 1872).He also had problems with Louisiana Senator P.B.S. Pinchback (1868-1870,Dec 1871);and others in the Radical Republican party faction that spilt,over differences of policy,leadership,and direction.After a brief and sudden illness,while campaigning for the state and presidential elections,Oscar died at his home on Canal Street.What we know and do not know about the circumstances of his illness and death has led to many unanswered questions and given birth to many rumors;some not true.Speculation evolved regarding foul play,but the parties suspected were never identified,and his death still remains a mystery.He had an unblemished reputation of being a man of character who sacrificed unselfishly for his people.He was respected by friend and foe,alike.His funeral is said to have been one of the largest funerals the city of New Orleans has ever witnessed.As many as 50,000 citizens lined Canal Street for his Funeral procession,and Newspapers across the nation recorded the event and those in attendance.State officials,masonic lodges, civic and social organizations all participated in the procession from the St.James A.M.E. church to his grave site.He was laid to rest in the Cassanave family mausoleum,St.Louis # 2.After his death,his widow Ellen was appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans to the position of City Archives Director.On November 23, 1875 she married J. Henri Burch,a fellow member of the Customhouse faction and a former Louisiana Senator (1872-1874 East Baton Rough Parish, 16th District).The Burch family resided in New Orleans.