Description: In pursuit of his foremost goal, full and equal citizenship for African Americans, Peter Humphries Clark (1829-1925) defied easy classification. He was, at various times, the country's first black socialist, a loyal supporter of the Republican Party, and an advocate for the Democrats. A pioneer educational activist, Clark led the fight for African Americans' access to Ohio's public schools and became the first black principal in the state. He supported all-black schools and staunchly defended th
Brief description: Nikki M. Taylor, associate professor of History at the University of Cincinnati, is author of Frontiers of Freedom: Cincinnati's Black Community, 1802-1868, and coauthor of A History of African Americans.
Review Quotes:
"Peter Clark is a name long known to a minority of specialists, but despite his record of intellectual and political achievement, his career has been overlooked even by many experts in nineteenth century studies. Professor Taylor has performed a service to the profession with her brilliant restoration of this important figure to his deserved prominence." -- Wilson J. Moses, Penn State University