John W. E. Thomas | |
|---|---|
 Thomas in 1885 | |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 2nd district | |
| In office 1877–1879 | |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 3rd district | |
| In office 1882–1886 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 1, 1847 Montgomery, Alabama |
| Died | December 18, 1899 (aged 52) Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Maria Reynolds
(m. 1864; died 1878)Justine Latcher
(m. 1880; died 1883)Crittie E.O. Marshall
(m. 1887) |
| Children | 8 |
| Occupation | Grocer; real estate developer |
| Profession | Lawyer; teacher |
| [1] | |
John William Edinburgh Thomas ( May 1, 1847 – December 18, 1899) was an American businessman, educator, and Illinois politician. Born into slavery in Alabama, he moved to Chicago after the Civil War, where he became a prominent community leader. In 1876 he became the first African American elected to the Illinois General Assembly. Thomas was instrumental in passage of Illinois' first anti-discrimination in public accommodations law, which he introduced in 1885.[2][1][3]
- ^ a b "99th General Assembly House Resolution 0223". Illinois General Assembly. April 28, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- ^ McClellan McAndrew, Tara (April 5, 2012). "Illinois' first black legislator". Illinois Times. Springfield, Illinois. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- ^ "John W. E. Thomas Dead: Colored Attorney, Politician, and Capitalist". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. December 19, 1899.