I also originally thought Brent Tarter's speculation was likely correct. However, addtional postings induced my finding the following photo of the marker that does indeed beg to mean the "country's" first elected black official: http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=5614 Also see the listing for Langston here: http://www.brownhorizonscircleoffriends.com/blhifa.html that states: "- 1855: John Mercer Langston, a former slave, is elected clerk of Brownhelm Township in Ohio. He is the first black to win an elective political office in the United States." It seems if something is repeated often enough it becomes truth. Jon Kukla's posting that originated this thread didn't mention his quoted info was only a two-paragraph excerpt from a long article written by Kevin Merida for the Washington Post on June 6, 2008. So Merida is the writer who did not research his story and simply furthered an appparently erroneous claim. For the rest of 'his-story' see the following: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25013601/ It seems to me that Merida's article contains exaggerations such as 'soaring' orator, 'expert' in constitutional law, 'community organizer' and about Langston's part in the formation of Howard University, for examples, that disfavor an otherwise well-accomplished man in his own right. Parts of the article are also rather racist that might be held at distance by Barack Obama after awhile. Neil McDonald ----- Original Message ----- I think that there's merely a keyboarding mistake at fault here in the form of an erroneous "r." The second sentence should probably begin, "It proudly proclaims that the county's first black elected official," not the "country's." $0.02 worth from Brent Tarter The Library of Virginia [log in to unmask] ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html