William T. Francis

William T. Francis
Photo of W.T. Francis
William T. Francis, ca 1904
Born(1870-03-26)March 26, 1870
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Died15 July 1929(1929-07-15) (aged 59)
Monrovia, Liberia
Occupation(s)Lawyer, Politician, Diplomat
Known forU.S. Minister/Consul General to Liberia
Political partyRepublican

William T. Francis (March 26, 1870 – July 15, 1929) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat from Minnesota.[1] He was a successful personal and civil rights lawyer, winning discrimination cases against the police and employers, and successfully lobbying for state anti-discrimination and anti-lynching legislation.[2] He was the U.S. Minister Resident/Consul General in Liberia, the first African-American diplomat from Minnesota.[1] In Liberia, Francis conducted a nine-month inquiry into allegations of government involvement in slavery and forced labor.[1] He died in post in Liberia of yellow fever.[3] His report helped achieve a League of Nations investigation that ultimately forced the president, Charles D.B. King, and the vice president of Liberia, Allen Yancy, to resign in 1930.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d Nelson, Paul. "Francis, William T. (1869-1929)". MNopedia. Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Heidenreich was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference DoS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).