William Parham
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Hartwell Parham (September 15, 1841 - July 9, 1904) was an American teacher, principal, lawyer, and Ohio state legislator.[1]
Early life and personal life
Parham was born September 15, 1841, in Petersburg, Virginia, spent his childhood in Philadelphia before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, at the age of 16.[1] He married Mary A. Crogan.[2] He was an Odd Fellow and a Mason and belonged to the Baptist Church.[3] He wrote An Official History of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons for the State of Ohio, it was published posthumously in 1906.[4]
Career
Parham was the superintendent of "colored" high schools[where?] from 1866 to 1876.[1] When the "colored School Board" was abolished he was made principal of all the schools, and then served as principal of Gaines High School from 1887.[1]
He resigned from his position as principal in 1890 and changed careers from education to law, becoming the first African American to graduate from Cincinnati Law School.[1] He was also the first African American to become an Ohio state notary.[1]
He was the first African American to be nominated for office in Ohio's legislature, at first refusing the nomination but later accepting.[1] He represented Hamilton County, Ohio, in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1896 and 1897 as a Republican.[2]
Along with other prominent Masons he publicly raised their dissatisfaction with President William McKinley's silence on lynchings and refusal to commission black officers in the army.[5]
