Wasn't trying to abbreviate anything :) - I read the short entries on History News Network and thought it was of interest and passed it along - HNN cited Washington Post - they often pick up opening paragraphs jk On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 12:02 PM, macbd1 <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > 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 > -- Jon Kukla www.JonKukla.com ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html